About Us
Sarah Hadden and Kura Omar first crossed paths in Kenya in 2010. Kura, a native of Northern Kenya, was then a co-founder and director of The BOMA Project, working to economically empower ultra-poor women in the arid north of the country. Sarah, a trained health educator with 21 years of experience working with adolescents, was especially moved after witnessing the widespread poverty and the lack of basic supplies and resources in the schools.
Sarah Hadden
Co-Executive Director & Co-Founder
Ahmed Kura
Co-Executive Director & Co-Founder
She knew she wanted to help. Kura, who grew up in Marsabit County, and had already spent over a decade working for the betterment of his people, knew the biggest need among the pastoralist communities was access to education.
Deciding to put their skill sets and talents to work on behalf of area students, Sarah and Kura launched the Kenya Drylands Education Fund (KDEF), designed primarily to help girls stay in school. They began distributing washable, reusable sanitary pads, underwear and soap packaged as Opportunity Kits. Since then, thousands of kits have been delivered to girls in primary schools in Marsabit and Samburu Counties.
Sarah and Kura also knew that transition rates from primary to secondary school in this region were very low. A high school education in Kenya is not free and many academically qualified students are denied this opportunity because their families cannot afford the school fees. To address this situation, KDEF started a scholarship program to lift barriers for needy students from Marsabit and Samburu Counties. It began with just four students. Today, thanks to the support of our generous sponsors, dozens of students are currently enrolled in our program, receiving four fully-funded years of secondary school at high-quality boarding schools.
KDEF aims to educate the whole student and to that end Sarah and Kura also created a Mentorship component. Once a year, all sponsored students and many of their parents gather in one location for three days of discussion on social issues, health concerns and other life skills.
Sarah has spent the last 10 years designing programs and raising funds for KDEF, which received its official U.S. 501(c)(3) designation in 2013. She serves as KDEF’s executive director, based in Manchester, Vermont.
Kura has continued to serve communities in the drylands of Kenya. He is KDEF’s Country Director, based in Nanyuki, Kenya. In 2018, he was named an Aspen New Voices Fellow. This prestigious fellowship offers development experts from Africa, Asia and Latin America a 12-month training program of media support, advocacy lessons, training, and writing under the guidance of experienced mentors and trainers.
