Season 4, Ep 01: From Kakuma to the World: Mary Maker's Advocacy for Refugee Education
“Do you even know we exist? Do you have an understanding of refugee camps?” asks Mary Maker who was once a refugee from South Sudan. Mary never forgot the harsh realities of the Kakuma camp in Kenya. With her firsthand experiences of limited access to higher education and employment, she turned her trials into action. While teaching in the camp, she seized an opportunity to study at Bridge2Rwanda, which enhanced her skills before attending St. Olaf College in Minnesota. Her journey inspired her to co-found Elimisha Kakuma, a college preparatory program tailored for the refugees at Kakuma, using education as a means to empower and rebuild lives.
In today’s episode of Women Igniting Change, Mary joins host Robbin Jorgensen to discuss the formidable challenges faced by refugees, especially young women, in pursuing education. She shares insights from her TED Talk and advocacy efforts that are pivotal in garnering university support for her program. Mary also reflects on the empowering realization of education’s role in transforming lives.
Tune in to explore how Elimisha Kakuma is striving to meet the UN’s “15 by 30” pledge, aiming to enable 15 percent of refugees to access tertiary education by 2030, perpetuating a cycle of opportunity for future generations.
Quotes
Links
Connect with Mary Maker:
https://marymaker.org/
https://www.elimishakakuma.org/
https://www.unhcr.org/us/prominent-supporters/mary-maker
https://www.instagram.com/marymaker_43/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-maker/
https://www.ted.com/talks/mary_maker_why_i_fight_for_the_education_of_refugee_girls_like_me?language=en&delay=30s&subtitle=en
Website: https://womenignitingchange.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-igniting-change/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbinjorgensen/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robbin.jorgensen/
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