Leah joined The School of St Jude in 2010 as a Form 1student, with her school fees being sponsored by someone she has never met and likely never will. This was something that would change the direction of her life.
Watching how the school cared for its students, not only academically but as whole people, planted something in Leah, too. If a supporter’s belief could change her life, she reasoned, she could also do the same for children in her own community.
Today, Leah, Class of 2016, runs the LEA Foundation, a name drawn from Kiswahili meaning to nurture or to raise. Through it, she supports more than 50 children facing hardship with school supplies, emotional support, spiritual guidance or simply someone to listen.
“Every child around me is my responsibility, and every child deserves an opportunity to smile, dream and thrive,” she says.
When she cannot help a child directly, she connects them with someone who can. When even that fails, she prays.
“When everything else fails, and I run out of options, I realise that the only thing left for me to do is pray for the children,” she explains.
Leah credits the St Jude’s values, Respect, Honesty, Kindness and Responsibility, for shaping this path.
“I am so grateful to God and to the people who shaped my journey, particularly The School of St Jude, and I believe that the best way to express gratitude is by giving service to others,” she says.
Looking ahead, she wants to grow LEA Foundation into a structured system that empowers young girls to become confident leaders. Her advice to others is, “Start with what you have and where you are. Consistency and compassion matter more than resources”
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