Hellen Ngunjiri, Daraja’s Business Manager

Hellen Ngunjiri is the business manager of Daraja Academy, but that is the least of her role at the school. After moving to campus, Hellen quickly became a mother, mentor, cheerleader, and counselor to twenty-some girls, and she wants the world to know that’s the part of her job that she values the most. 

Join her and host Jason Doherty in their conversation on Daraja Means Bridge Podcast about the interviewing and selection processes at Daraja, talking over the heart breaking and heart warming experiences they’ve had speaking to girls from all over the country, from out in the bush to the bottom of the slums. Hear how Daraja has changed each life individually, and see why Hellen says that Daraja absolutely must continue to grow. 

3 Key Takeaways:

• How Hellen’s conversation with one girl lead her to remain at Daraja for almost a decade
• The impact of FGM in the slums of Kenya
• How Hellen has found Daraja’s impact to be apart from all other local schools she has attended

About Daraja Academy and the Podcast:

Jason and Jenni Doherty are the founders of Daraja Academy and parents to 115 current students and many alumni. Jenni comes from a family of eight children and is the first woman in her family to go to university. Jason comes from a family of five, and his passion is education.

When Jason and Jenni Doherty – educators from the Bay Area – visited Kenya in 2006, they were struck by the degree that gender determined opportunity. For families living in deep poverty, access to education was already limited, but sons were still far more likely to attend secondary school than daughters. Girls were being left behind. Thus, they started Daraja Academy.

Daraja Academy is a boarding secondary school for Kenyan girls with top academic scores and exceptional leadership skills but without the means to continue their education. The academy provides shelter, food, healthcare, and counseling services so students may focus on their academic and personal potential without the everyday barriers they would otherwise face. 

Their groundbreaking educational model has generated a community of students filled with intellectual curiosity and a hunger to learn. Through this podcast, we get to know the stories of the girls of Daraja, Daraja Academy, and all the incredible people that support and strengthen Daraja.

Special Thanks to Salvador Santana for the use of his song, “Rise Up,” in our podcast!

Connect with Daraja Means Bridge:

Website:https://www.daraja-academy.org/

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/daraja-academy/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-doherty-baa9735a/

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/DarajaAcademy

Twitter:https://twitter.com/darajaacademy

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/darajaacademy/

YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtQiWAdnakahyCnRlvWzoSA

Email:[email protected]

Be her bridge! Donate to girls' education in Kenya:

https://www.daraja-aca

Daraja 10th Grader Glory - Community Service in an Orphanage with 80 Children 

Show Notes

Today’s guest on Daraja Means Bridge Podcast is Jason Doherty’s future daughter-in-law for all intents and purposes, and her life story is one you will remember. Glory learned about courage and responsibility from a young age, a few details of her life including living with her sisters alone for three years in grade school, quitting school at age 12 to find money, and moving out of her flat because a literal leopard had moved in. 

Now, Glory happily talks with Jason about what she learned from her life back home about courage, family, and integrity. She shares the culture shocking, life impacting introduction into Daraja and how her mentors--including host Jason Doherty--shaped her understanding of her value as an educated woman and future life-changer where she has now already impacted hundreds of orphaned children from 13 to 3 days old. You will not want to miss this episode about a truly empowering young woman.

 In this episode you will learn:

• The one trait that made Glory carefully chose her mentor at Daraja
• How a young woman who grew up in trials and turmoil kept a positive relationship with courage
• The empowering effect of sports in Glory’s education

About Daraja Academy and the Podcast:

Jason and Jenni Doherty are the founders of Daraja Academy and parents to 115 current students and many alumni. Jenni comes from a family of eight children and is the first woman in her family to go to university. Jason comes from a family of five, and his passion is education.

When Jason and Jenni Doherty – educators from the Bay Area – visited Kenya in 2006, they were struck by the degree that gender determined opportunity. For families living in deep poverty, access to education was already limited, but sons were still far more likely to attend secondary school than daughters. Girls were being left behind. Thus, they started Daraja Academy.

Daraja Academy is a boarding secondary school for Kenyan girls with top academic scores and exceptional leadership skills but without the means to continue their education. The academy provides shelter, food, healthcare, and counseling services so students may focus on their academic and personal potential without the everyday barriers they would otherwise face. 

Their groundbreaking educational model has generated a community of students filled with intellectual curiosity and a hunger to learn. Through this podcast, we get to know the stories of the girls of Daraja, Daraja Academy, and all the incredible people that support and strengthen Daraja.

Special Thanks to Salvador Santana for the use of his song, “Rise Up,” in our podcast!

Connect with Daraja Means Bridge:

Website:https://www.daraja-academy.org/

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/daraja-academy/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-doherty-baa9735a/

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/DarajaAcademy

Twitter:https://twitter.com/darajaacademy

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/darajaacademy/

YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtQiWAdnakahyCnRlvWzoSA

Email:info@dara

Guest Stanley Kinyua

Listen to the birds, baboons, and upcoming thunderstorm in Kenya as Jason Doherty and guest Stanley Kinyua lead their discussion for this episode of Daraja Means Bridge Podcast outside on the campus of Darajah Academy. Hear Stanley’s experience growing up in a village nearby campus and how he came to be an administrator at the Academy; one of the best choices he ever made. 

Shooting from outside location on the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro river, Stanley talks about the village’s appallment with this new strange school system and its effect on their returning local girls. Jason also shares his memory of meeting Stanley, whom he considers to be a son. As they end, learn why Daraja changed both of their lives for the better, inspiring Stanley to head up a library project where Daraja girls make a change in the children of their town, and why when you educate girls, you are actually educating a community.

In this episode you will learn:

• How Stanley adapted to an ill-timed graduation date just before the pandemic spread
• How Daraja is a daily inspiration for Stanley
• The values gleaned from sharing your education with others

About Daraja Academy and the Podcast:

Jason and Jenni Doherty are the founders of Daraja Academy and parents to 115 current students and many alumni. Jenni comes from a family of eight children and is the first woman in her family to go to university. Jason comes from a family of five, and his passion is education.

When Jason and Jenni Doherty – educators from the Bay Area – visited Kenya in 2006, they were struck by the degree that gender determined opportunity. For families living in deep poverty, access to education was already limited, but sons were still far more likely to attend secondary school than daughters. Girls were being left behind. Thus, they started Daraja Academy.

Daraja Academy is a boarding secondary school for Kenyan girls with top academic scores and exceptional leadership skills but without the means to continue their education. The academy provides shelter, food, healthcare, and counseling services so students may focus on their academic and personal potential without the everyday barriers they would otherwise face. 

Their groundbreaking educational model has generated a community of students filled with intellectual curiosity and a hunger to learn. Through this podcast, we get to know the stories of the girls of Daraja, Daraja Academy, and all the incredible people that support and strengthen Daraja.

Connect with Daraja Means Bridge:

Website:https://www.daraja-academy.org/

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/daraja-academy/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-doherty-baa9735a/

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/DarajaAcademy

Twitter:https://twitter.com/darajaacademy

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/darajaacademy/

YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtQiWAdnakahyCnRlvWzoSA

Email:[email protected]

Be her bridge! Donate to girls' education in Kenya:

https://www.daraja-academy.org/donate/<&

The guest Jason Doherty invites onto Daraja Means Bridge Podcast today is a powerhouse in every sense of the word. After an initial rejection from enrollment in Daraja, Rahama chose the path of strength and courage rather than anger, deciding that she would not take NO for an answer. In this episode, Rahama shares what it’s like being a young woman in a tense and tribally diverse community as someone who is “too brave and too bold.” As Rahama explains her experience reapplying to Daraja and the following life-changing years of her enrollment--as well as her plans for the world’s future--you will quickly learn why “letting this amazing human slip through the cracks” was one of the biggest mistakes Jason has ever made.

 In this episode you will learn:

• The dangers and triumphs of sharing your sparks in a discriminating community
• The impact that one Daraja graduate-turned-faculty member made in Rahama’s life   
• Why Rahama claims her life truly began with her first day of enrollment

About Daraja Academy and the Podcast:

Jason and Jenni Doherty are the founders of Daraja Academy and parents to 115 current students and many alumni. Jenni comes from a family of eight children and is the first woman in her family to go to university. Jason comes from a family of five, and his passion is education.

When Jason and Jenni Doherty – educators from the Bay Area – visited Kenya in 2006, they were struck by the degree that gender determined opportunity. For families living in deep poverty, access to education was already limited, but sons were still far more likely to attend secondary school than daughters. Girls were being left behind. Thus, they started Daraja Academy.

Daraja Academy is a boarding secondary school for Kenyan girls with top academic scores and exceptional leadership skills but without the means to continue their education. The academy provides shelter, food, healthcare, and counseling services so students may focus on their academic and personal potential without the everyday barriers they would otherwise face. 

Their groundbreaking educational model has generated a community of students filled with intellectual curiosity and a hunger to learn. Through this podcast, we get to know the stories of the girls of Daraja, Daraja Academy, and all the incredible people that support and strengthen Daraja.

Special Thanks to Salvador Santana for the use of his song, “Rise Up,” in our podcast!

Connect with Daraja Means Bridge:

Website:https://www.daraja-academy.org/

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/daraja-academy/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-doherty-baa9735a/

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/DarajaAcademy

Twitter:https://twitter.com/darajaacademy

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/darajaacademy/

YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtQiWAdnakahyCnRlvWzoSA

Email:[email protected]

Be her bridge! Donate to girls' education in Kenya:

https://www.daraja-academy.org/donate/

Help Martha

Guest Student Eveyne

Today, we are joined by Jason Doherty’s “favorite person on earth,” guest student in Daraja Academy: Eveyne. Living with a single dad and 6 siblings, Eveyne quickly became an advocate of learning to do things yourself in order to support you and those around you. With no money, support--or even pencils and papers--Eveyne shares the moments and lessons that drove her on her journey 6 hours south from living in a community split into three, where shots and killing over cows and pastures is a daily occurrence.

 Eveyne stresses Daraja’s life-altering impact in her life and those around her, speaking about her first experiences with the school and Jason, explaining why Daraja was ultimately the best thing to happen to her. 

In this episode you will learn:

• Eveyne’s incredible life story leading up to her education, avoiding mass killings via migration
• How a young Kenyan girl learned to provide for herself with no money or support
• The impact of an educated girl on her local community

About Daraja Academy and the Podcast:

Jason and Jenni Doherty are the founders of Daraja Academy and parents to 115 current students and many alumni. Jenni comes from a family of eight children and is the first woman in her family to go to university. Jason comes from a family of five, and his passion is education.

When Jason and Jenni Doherty – educators from the Bay Area – visited Kenya in 2006, they were struck by the degree that gender determined opportunity. For families living in deep poverty, access to education was already limited, but sons were still far more likely to attend secondary school than daughters. Girls were being left behind. Thus, they started Daraja Academy.

Daraja Academy is a boarding secondary school for Kenyan girls with top academic scores and exceptional leadership skills but without the means to continue their education. The academy provides shelter, food, healthcare, and counseling services so students may focus on their academic and personal potential without the everyday barriers they would otherwise face. 

Their groundbreaking educational model has generated a community of students filled with intellectual curiosity and a hunger to learn. Through this podcast, we get to know the stories of the girls of Daraja, Daraja Academy, and all the incredible people that support and strengthen Daraja.

Connect with Daraja Means Bridge:

Website:https://www.daraja-academy.org/

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/daraja-academy/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-doherty-baa9735a/

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/DarajaAcademy

Twitter:https://twitter.com/darajaacademy

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/darajaacademy/

YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtQiWAdnakahyCnRlvWzoSA

Email:[email protected]

Be her bridge! Donate to girls' education in Kenya:

https://www.daraja-academy.org/donate/

Welcome to the Daraja Means Bridge Podcast!

Join Jason Doherty in another episode of Daraja Means Bridge Podcast with guest Marty Park, Canadian entrepreneur and successful business owner of 13 companies in over 17 industries. Marty shares the invaluable information he’s culminated over his career for alumni beginning their entrepreneurial careers and college students looking to expand their side hustle. Marty divulges practices that brought him success, both through smart business moves and effective mental framing. In this episode, Marty also honestly reveals the close-to-ruined financial situation of his beginning years as an entrepreneur, and uncovers some of the cliches surrounding the classic image of “the entrepreneur.”

In this episode you will learn:

• Marty’s passion and success gleaned from business Coaching
• The invaluable skills you learn as you consciously chose to be an entrepreneur
• Where to start once you’ve got a business idea; The main question to ask when setting up a business
• Facing what scares you alongside what you’re passionate about
• The persistence and strength of Daraja girls as entrepreneurs

About Daraja Academy and the Podcast:

Jason and Jenni Doherty are the founders of Daraja Academy and parents to 115 current students and many alumni. Jenni comes from a family of eight children and is the first woman in her family to go to university. Jason comes from a family of five, and his passion is education.

When Jason and Jenni Doherty – educators from the Bay Area – visited Kenya in 2006, they were struck by the degree that gender determined opportunity. For families living in deep poverty, access to education was already limited, but sons were still far more likely to attend secondary school than daughters. Girls were being left behind. Thus, they started Daraja Academy.

Daraja Academy is a boarding secondary school for Kenyan girls with top academic scores and exceptional leadership skills but without the means to continue their education. The academy provides shelter, food, healthcare, and counseling services so students may focus on their academic and personal potential without the everyday barriers they would otherwise face. 

Their groundbreaking educational model has generated a community of students filled with intellectual curiosity and a hunger to learn. Through this podcast, we get to know the stories of the girls of Daraja, Daraja Academy, and all the incredible people that support and strengthen Daraja.

 

Connect with Daraja Means Bridge:

Website:https://www.daraja-academy.org/

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/daraja-academy/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-doherty-baa9735a/

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/DarajaAcademy

Twitter:https://twitter.com/darajaacademy

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/darajaacademy/

YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtQiWAdnakahyCnRlvWzoSA

Email:[email protected]

Be her bridge! Donate to girls' education in Kenya:

https://www.daraja-academy.org/donate/

Guest Deborah Santana

Today’s guest Deborah Santana is a woman of social action. Deborah is a native Californian, African-American, and of Irish-English descent with a deep-rooted role in social activism that began before she was born. With parents of different races living in the lower middle class, Deborah claims that humanity and community are in her DNA. Deborah is now head of a foundation specified to help women and girls, and is a multi-published author. She has a deep appreciation for the arts and education and is an active feminist. Deborah also holds a leadership role in the African-American History and Cultural Museum at the Smithsonian and is currently helping to make the Women's History Museum Initiative a reality. She holds a master's degree in religion and philosophy and raises three creative children.

Join us with Jason Doherty and this incredible guest as they discuss Deborah’s vital contribution and impact on Darajah Academy, reviewing the values of hard work, giving back, and maintaining integrity as principal values in both Deborah’s life and the pillars of Darajah. Deborah will also confer the absolute cruciality of racial equality and women’s education, advocating the work to stop marginalizing their roles in society. Additionally, this episode will show us why Deborah claims that--even to this day--Darajah was the best experience to happen to her. 

In this episode you will learn:

• What impact the Kenyan girls had on this American activist
• The crucial role of women in modern society (US or African) and the future
• The core values of a successful entrepreneur

About Daraja Academy and the Podcast:

Jason and Jenni Doherty are the founders of Daraja Academy and parents to 115 current students and many alumni. Jenni comes from a family of eight children and is the first woman in her family to go to university. Jason comes from a family of five, and his passion is education.

When Jason and Jenni Doherty – educators from the Bay Area – visited Kenya in 2006, they were struck by the degree that gender determined opportunity. For families living in deep poverty, access to education was already limited, but sons were still far more likely to attend secondary school than daughters. Girls were being left behind. Thus, they started Daraja Academy.

Daraja Academy is a boarding secondary school for Kenyan girls with top academic scores and exceptional leadership skills but without the means to continue their education. The academy provides shelter, food, healthcare, and counseling services so students may focus on their academic and personal potential without the everyday barriers they would otherwise face. 

Their groundbreaking educational model has generated a community of students filled with intellectual curiosity and a hunger to learn. Through this podcast, we get to know the stories of the girls of Daraja, Daraja Academy, and all the incredible people that support and strengthen Daraja.

Connect with Daraja Means Bridge:

Website:https://www.daraja-academy.org/

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/daraja-academy/

                       https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-doherty-baa9735a/

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/DarajaAcademy

Twitter:

Guest Student Alice Naini

Alice Naini is one of Daraja Academy’s brilliant students. She grew up with her grandparents in Kenya, with often not enough resources to provide food and basic clothing as a kid, but this didn’t stop her from mustering the courage to pursue her dream of education. 

Now Alice actively leads her life as a college graduate from San Jose University with a major in mathematics, using her skills to teach math in highschool but also to head up multiple humanitarian programs, teaching students in her village the WISH program and helping local students gain skills for the real world. Today, Alice will tell us how she overcame the many mental and physical obstacles to become who she always wanted to be, and shares how that all began with a school named Daraja. 

In this episode you will learn:

• What a young Kenyan girl’s daily chores and expectations are in the village and home
• The WISH program’s invaluable impact on the integrity and confidence of a young teen
• How a shy Kenyan girl became head prefect of an academy

About Daraja Academy and the Podcast:

Jason and Jenni Doherty are the founders of Daraja Academy and parents to 115 current students and many alumni. Jenni comes from a family of eight children and is the first woman in her family to go to university. Jason comes from a family of five, and his passion is education.

When Jason and Jenni Doherty – educators from the Bay Area – visited Kenya in 2006, they were struck by the degree that gender determined opportunity. For families living in deep poverty, access to education was already limited, but sons were still far more likely to attend secondary school than daughters. Girls were being left behind. Thus, they started Daraja Academy.

Daraja Academy is a boarding secondary school for Kenyan girls with top academic scores and exceptional leadership skills but without the means to continue their education. The academy provides shelter, food, healthcare, and counseling services so students may focus on their academic and personal potential without the everyday barriers they would otherwise face. 

Their groundbreaking educational model has generated a community of students filled with intellectual curiosity and a hunger to learn. Through this podcast, we get to know the stories of the girls of Daraja, Daraja Academy, and all the incredible people that support and strengthen Daraja.

Connect with Daraja Means Bridge:

Website:https://www.daraja-academy.org/

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/daraja-academy/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-doherty-baa9735a/

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/DarajaAcademy

Twitter:https://twitter.com/darajaacademy

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/darajaacademy/

YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtQiWAdnakahyCnRlvWzoSA

Email:[email protected]

Be her bridge! Donate to girls' education in Kenya:

https://www.daraja-academy.org/donate/

Guest Victoria

Meet the principal of Daraja academy herself in today’s episode of Daraja Means Bridge. Jason Doherty invites Victoria to share childhood stories that shaped her into a hard working, ambitious young woman, despite community expectations. She describes the influence of her hard-working father, who raised many girls. She also shares her initial impressions of the academy in its earliest years, discussing what little options a Kenyan girl had for her future, and explaining why when Jason called her to hire her, it was her happiest day (even though she’d be paid less).

Learn how the girls of Daraja are literally reshaping the values, perceptions, and financial stations of their communities, and why it’s worth supporting this school that, according to Victoria, is not just a school, but a growing movement. 

In this episode you will learn:

• Why Victoria would abandon a job that pays better to work at Daraja Academy
• What life was like growing up on a farm with all girls 
• What options a Kenyan girl is given for her future without the option of education

About Daraja Academy and the Podcast: 

Jason and Jenni Doherty are the founders of Daraja Academy and parents to 115 current students and many alumni. Jenni comes from a family of eight children and is the first woman in her family to go to university. Jason comes from a family of five, and his passion is education.

When Jason and Jenni Doherty – educators from the Bay Area – visited Kenya in 2006, they were struck by the degree that gender determined opportunity. For families living in deep poverty, access to education was already limited, but sons were still far more likely to attend secondary school than daughters. Girls were being left behind. Thus, they started Daraja Academy.

Daraja Academy is a boarding secondary school for Kenyan girls with top academic scores and exceptional leadership skills but without the means to continue their education. The academy provides shelter, food, healthcare, and counseling services so students may focus on their academic and personal potential without the everyday barriers they would otherwise face. 

Their groundbreaking educational model has generated a community of students filled with intellectual curiosity and a hunger to learn. Through this podcast, we get to know the stories of the girls of Daraja, Daraja Academy, and all the incredible people that support and strengthen Daraja.

Connect with Daraja Means Bridge:

Website:https://www.daraja-academy.org/

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/daraja-academy/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-doherty-baa9735a/

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/DarajaAcademy

Twitter:https://twitter.com/darajaacademy

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/darajaacademy/

YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtQiWAdnakahyCnRlvWzoSA

Email:[email protected]

Help Martha

Martha is one of today’s amazing Daraja students looking to build herself and her community a better future. Help us keep Martha’s education going by supporting her at:

Guest Victoria

Meet the principal of Daraja academy herself in today’s episode of Daraja Means Bridge. Jason Doherty invites Victoria to share childhood stories that shaped her into a hard working, ambitious young woman, despite community expectations. She describes the influence of her hard-working father, who raised many girls. She also shares her initial impressions of the academy in its earliest years, discussing what little options a Kenyan girl had for her future, and explaining why when Jason called her to hire her, it was her happiest day (even though she’d be paid less).

Learn how the girls of Daraja are literally reshaping the values, perceptions, and financial stations of their communities, and why it’s worth supporting this school that, according to Victoria, is not just a school, but a growing movement. 

In this episode you will learn:

• Why Victoria would abandon a job that pays better to work at Daraja Academy
• What life was like growing up on a farm with all girls 
• What options a Kenyan girl is given for her future without the option of education

About Daraja Academy and the Podcast: 

Jason and Jenni Doherty are the founders of Daraja Academy and parents to 115 current students and many alumni. Jenni comes from a family of eight children and is the first woman in her family to go to university. Jason comes from a family of five, and his passion is education.

When Jason and Jenni Doherty – educators from the Bay Area – visited Kenya in 2006, they were struck by the degree that gender determined opportunity. For families living in deep poverty, access to education was already limited, but sons were still far more likely to attend secondary school than daughters. Girls were being left behind. Thus, they started Daraja Academy.

Daraja Academy is a boarding secondary school for Kenyan girls with top academic scores and exceptional leadership skills but without the means to continue their education. The academy provides shelter, food, healthcare, and counseling services so students may focus on their academic and personal potential without the everyday barriers they would otherwise face. 

Their groundbreaking educational model has generated a community of students filled with intellectual curiosity and a hunger to learn. Through this podcast, we get to know the stories of the girls of Daraja, Daraja Academy, and all the incredible people that support and strengthen Daraja.

Connect with Daraja Means Bridge:

Website:https://www.daraja-academy.org/

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/daraja-academy/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-doherty-baa9735a/

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/DarajaAcademy

Twitter:https://twitter.com/darajaacademy

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/darajaacademy/

YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtQiWAdnakahyCnRlvWzoSA

Email:[email protected]

Help Martha

Martha is one of today’s amazing Daraja students looking to build herself and her community a better future. Help us keep Martha’s education going by supporting her at: