After completing his university education in 2012, Leshan Sancha returned home to rural Kenya with a realization that he could not ignore.

During his years at university, something had quietly troubled him: not a single girl from his community was studying there. While young men from his community had made it to higher education, girls were entirely absent from the lecture halls and graduation pavilion.

He knew why.

Across communities in Narok and Migori Counties, girls faced enormous barriers long before they could ever dream of reaching university. Harmful practices such as female genital mutilation (FGM), early marriage, and deeply rooted cultural expectations often forced girls to leave school while they were still very young.

Yet many of these girls were bright, determined and full of potential.

Shortly after returning home, Leshan encountered girls who had made a courageous decision- they had said NO to undergoing FGM. But saying NO often meant they had to flee their homes and many had nowhere safe to go.

Seeing this reality, he knew he could not remain a bystander. With no formal organization and very limited resources, Leshan reached out to a small group of trusted friends in the community and asked a simple but courageous question:

Can you help keep these girls safe?

Together, they welcomed 15 girls who had fled FGM, opening their homes to provide them with safety, care and the chance to continue their education.

This protection was especially critical because in this community, FGM is typically carried out during the December holiday, when schools close and girls stay at home for a long period. During this period, the pressure on girls to undergo the practice becomes extremely intense, and many are forced into the procedure.

For girls who resist, the December season can be the most dangerous time of the year. By opening their homes, these girls were sheltered through-out this high-risk season, keeping them safe until the school term resumed and the immediate threat had passed.

For many girls, reaching a new school year safely meant the difference between continuing their education and being forced into a life they had not chosen.

What began as a personal act of compassion quickly grew into something larger. Word spread through the community, and each year, more girls arrived at their doorsteps, desperate for safety, education and a chance to build a different future. Before long, the number of girls seeking shelter exceeded what their homes could accommodate.

Determined not to turn any girl away, they pooled their limited resources, mobilized support from their networks and build a small rescue centre at the heart of the community- a symbol of girls entering into a new world of opportunities.

The shelter was modest but powerful- a safe place equipped with water and lights so girls could study into the evening, became more than just a refuge. Over time, this humble shelter grew into a vibrant learning and mentorship centre- nurturing not only the girls but also boys from the community, raising a generation of change agents who would stand with their sisters and say NO to harmful practices.

By 2015, HOPE for Girls Education Africa was officially registered as a community based organization, and in 2024, it expanded to a nonprofit organization to reach additional counties of Kajiado, Samburu and Homabay in Kenya where girls face similar threats (female genital mutilation, child marriage and teenage pregnancies).

Today, the organization continues to grow, carrying forward the same vision: a community where every girl is safe, educated, and empowered to thrive- with boys and men standing alongside her as allies in this transformation.

Founder’s Reflection:

“When a girl is given a chance to stay in school and believes in her own potential, she does not just transform her own life- she transforms her entire community.” – Leshan Sancha, Founder

Every girl we shelter carries a story of courage. With your support, we can give her safety, education and a chance to dream bigger than her circumstances.

With your support, that courage can become opportunity. One more girl safe from FGM, One more girl in a classroom. One more future transformed. 

Join us in rewriting the future for girls who refuse to be silenced.