Rehema was just six years old when both of her parents died in a traffic accident. She and her brother went to live with their grandmother in Homa Bay.
Her grandmother brought her to Achungo’s school, where she immediately felt loved and cared for by the staff and other students.
Rehema excelled academically. She earned a top score on her 8th grade national exam and was accepted into EFAC (Education For All Children), a partner program that mentors high-performing students through high school and college with leadership development, career planning, and emotional support.
She graduated from Loreto High School, one of Kenya’s leading institutions.
In 2025, Rehema earned a full scholarship to Villanova University in Pennsylvania — becoming the first Achungo student to study in the United States.
Her transition required courage. She adjusted her class schedule, sought tutoring in calculus, and advocated for herself when a chemistry exam didn’t meet her expectations. She secured a campus job in the Office of Education Abroad, assisting students preparing for overseas study programs.
She joined the International Students Organization and now helps plan campus events. She completed a semester-long leadership program. She was awarded a full scholarship to serve with Habitat for Humanity during spring break.
During fall break, she traveled to New York City for the first time — walking across the Brooklyn Bridge and taking her first boat ride.
Now in her second semester, she continues to thrive academically and personally — adjusting to winter weather, selecting classes in psychology and sociology, and dreaming of one day studying abroad in Spain.
From a rural village near Lake Victoria
To a neuroscience major at an American university.
Rehema’s story is what long-term investment in education can make possible.
You can be part of the next student’s journey beyond high school.
