Bringing Education Home to Kenya

Richard Kaitany, who originated the idea of Simbolei Girls Academy, was born in a farming community near Iten, Kenya and attended local public elementary schools and St. Patrick's High School in Iten.

In 1978, he moved to the U.S., attending Iowa State University (ISU) on a track and cross country scholarship in 1978, to study plant pathology.

At ISU, Richard met Andrea, a native Iowan who was studying English. They married in 1984 and have four children.

Over the years, they frequently traveled to gather with family in Kenya. Richard and Andrea noticed the lack of high-quality educational opportunities for young women in rural Kenya.

They also saw how the traditional boarding school system separated young women from their communities and families, and how this alienated the local community from the educational process.

When local teachers urged them to consider starting a high school for girls in the area, they decided to build and develop a community-based high school that would link this marginalized community with the wider world.

In 2006, they purchased a disused sawmill on seven acres of land near Iten, in the village of Kamariny. They renovated the sawmill manager's cottage into a livable house, allowing them to stay on site and supervise the building project.

By 2010, Richard and Andrea were officially planning and working on Simbolei Girls Secondary Academy. They began running community literacy programs each summer.

In late 2019 and through 2020, with the main school building completed, the next stage was to furnish the classrooms, fill the bookshelves, stock the science lab, and get the school ready to begin admitting students in September 2021.

Now the true goal for Simbolei is just beginning: Provide high-quality educational opportunities for young women in rural Kenya and connect the community through education.