Connecticut Girl Helps Kenyan Girl Stay in School
Lily Daniels wanted to make a difference outside of her community.
— -- In June, 14-year-old Lily Daniels made a 7,286-mile trek from her home in Bethel, Connecticut, to Enkijape, Kenya.
Lily was eager to make a difference outside of her community, so she partnered with Big Life Foundation, a conservation group in East Africa, to raise funds to sponsor 15-year-old Sein Lepayon’s tuition and rebuild desks and bring supplies to Sein’s school.
“On my birthday, instead of asking for gifts … my mom and I asked that my friends bring money that I could bring to the school that we would use for supplies,” Lily said in an interview with “Good Morning America.”
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In total, Lily raised $370 – enough for two years’ worth of tuition for Sein. It allowed Sein to avoid being sold into an arranged marriage to a far older man.
Lily went to Kenya with her aunt and uncle, and, on the final day of her trip, she was able to meet the Sein. Lily described the meeting as “a life-changing experience.”
The two girls hugged and held hands.
“Her grandmother gave me a hug and her grandmother was crying, and gave me the necklace and it was just really … amazing,” Lily recalled, adding: “I did make a difference in her life."
As for Sein, who has just started school, she told ABC News that she’s grateful to have a brighter future and the chance to use her education to become a leader in her community.
Lily says her friendship with Sein will continue through emails and letters, and she hopes to inspire others to take action.
Back home, Lily said her friends and family are thinking about how they can help other children with money for supplies and other needs.
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