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CANRAD Fund

Kaye Jackson, Co- founder and Fund Advisor

What is CANRAD?

CANRAD stands for the Canada/Kenyan Rarieda Development Project which a friend, Heather Davis, and I co-founded in 2005. We sponsor young African women, orphans and girls of destitute families, to become future leaders via education.

How did it come to be based in Africa?

I went to Kenya and Uganda on an educational trip to visit schools, hospitals, clinics, and orphanages. I visited and the slums of Nairobi. I met with government officials, church leaders, doctors, nurses, social workers and teachers. I saw the real underbelly of Kenya and Uganda with the overwhelming poverty and disease. It’s ironic because I declared I would never to return to Africa after being totally overwhelmed by what I saw and hospitalized for acute food poisoning. But back in Canada, I couldn’t forget the women, particularly the girls.

I then decided to try to raise money to give 5 girls an education. In a few months, I had enough to sponsor 11 girls.

How much money did you start with?

Two thousand dollars $2000 dollars in November 2005. In 2006 we raised $50,000 dollars.

How does the project work?

We take in a minimum of 10 students per year and sponsor them for 4 years of secondary schooling. We’ll be doing this through to 2013. In return for the gift of their education, we ask the girls to offer 100 hours of voluntary service per year, either to their school or their community. They decide on what they wish to give back. The Leadership/Community Service projects are amazing.

They have been the most significant aspect of the CANRAD project. Girls who had no status or self esteem have blossomed and are now mentoring younger students, teaching biology, or math, and one girl started tutoring 50 kids in her school. In 2007 alone, the girls gave over 1800 hours of service.

Why are the women in Kenya so important to you?

The women in Kenya are such extraordinary people –although often denied an education because of poverty and with no electricity, without lights and education they are incredibly resourceful. With a chance at education, we believe they can move forward and lead their communities.

Have you seen them return to their communities?

We had two girls graduate this year and my plan was be part of the process as the girls return to their communities. But the post presidential election violence prevented me from returning to Kenya this year. I plan to visit in January 2009 and will meet with the chiefs and Area Education Officers along with community leaders.

In terms of leadership, the greatest impact may be felt in the next generation. Their education gives them a better chance to defeat poverty and their children a better chance at succeeding at school.

Could you tell us about one of the girls you have helped?

One child I love to mention is an orphan named Millicent Obiero. She wrote me when she found out she had been selected. She was so excited that she is now aiming at the sky. Her marks have been very good and she wants to be a doctor. She has gained enough courage to stand and talk in front of people, and the title of the letter was “I very much thank you”.