“EDUCATE A GIRL AND SHE WILL CHANGE THE WORLD.”
Two months ago, Kit Merriman, the mother of Unite Founder & Director Anne Wells and Board Member Kim Merriman, passed away after a long and valiant battle against metastatic breast cancer. Kit had a heart for educating girls in need so a scholarship fund for girls was created in Kit’s name to enable highly talented-yet-impoverished girls admission into our competitive Unite Scholars & Mentorship Program.
Today, thanks to the generous contributions of nearly 200 individuals who loved and admired Kit, we have raised just over $44,000 for this fund. This truly extraordinary outpouring of support has enabled us to admit and provide comprehensive support for 11 girls in need. Unite will support these “Kit Girls” for the next two years through their A Levels, which is Form 5 and Form 6 (~11th and 12th grades). We will also provide them mentoring and extensive life skills and leadership trainings. We are committed to doing all we can to support these “Kit Girls,” and ALL our Unite Scholars across Tanzania, and help them achieve success inside and beyond the classroom.
CLICK HERE to read report that introduces each of these 11 "Kit Girls" and outlines elements of our sponsorship program. Our program director Anty Marche has already told these girls that they have been chosen for this scholarship. To say that they and their families are ecstatic and overjoyed is an understatement. CLICK HERE to listen to a 15-second voice clip of one woman's response when Anty told her that her niece has been accepted.
Our sincerest thanks to every person who helped make this miracle possible. As they say in Tanzania…
Education is liberation!
I fly for Tanzania next week. I will meet all of these "Kit Girls" in person, and I will also meet dozens more of the new students who we are accepting into our 2020 Form 5 Class of A-Level Scholars. Currently we are planning on taking 30 new students in total; however, if we raise more funds in the next few weeks and months we will take on even more scholars. Every dollar raised is invested directly into this program. Our commitment is to grow our Unite Scholars Program into a brand that is internationally-recognized for honesty and integrity, confidence and creativity, diligence and determination, quality and consistency and world-class performance. If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to help support our Unite Scholarship Fund, please click HERE.
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Thank you to everyone who has honored my mother in this kind, generous and thoughtful way. I believe that we are making her proud. May her spirit live in through our love & service for the greatest good of all.
With love & gratitude,
Anne
New Unite Scholar Khadija introduces us to her family and home.
New Unite Scholar “Kit Girl” Zainabu Ally introduces us to her family and her home,
Here, a 60-second video from a recent Unite Scholar Mentor Training.
Here, a clip of current Unite Scholars volunteering to build an organic garden to help feed widows and children in need. Volunteerism is an important element of our Mentorship program.