It All Began with a Poem
In the last chapter of Saved by a Poem, Kim Rosen writes about her first visit to the V-Day Safe House for Maasai Girls in Narok, Kenya. Initially, she was paralyzed with shyness and most of the girls were too. In an awkward moment one young woman, Jacinta, stepped forward and asked her to sing a song. “What I really love is poetry,” she responded. “May I recite a poem to you?” The miracle that ensued forged a life-changing connection for all of them. As the last lines of Mary Oliver’s “The Journey” echoed — “determined to do / the only thing you could do / determined to save / the only life you could save” — many of the girls were in tears of recognition. So was Kim.
In 2010, Jacinta reached out to Kim to help her get funds to go to college. Kim joined with several friends to raise the money, and Jacinta flourished. This was due not only to the financial support she received but also to the emotional impact of the human connection with those who believed in her. Funders also were profoundly moved by the opportunity to have a direct and ongoing relationship with the student. In subsequent years, Kim raised funds for six more girls to go to college. Witnessing the life-changing impact on the young women, and also how they are now transforming their families, villages and community as a whole, she was inspired to create the S.H.E. College Fund. As of 2022, the S.H.E. College Fund has 34 students in school and 25 graduates. Jacinta, who now holds a Degree in Business Management, is the Director of Kenya Operations for the S.H.E. Fund Kenya.
“Evidence shows that girls’ education brings a wide range of benefits not only for the girls themselves but also for their children and their communities, as well as society at large in terms of economic growth.”
— United Nations Foundation