In January 2023, the Rotary Club of Calgary West partnered with the Rise to Shine Education Foundation in Kenya to help transform the futures of bright, vulnerable youth in the Lake Region of Kenya. Guided by Club Champion Jenny Yu, the project provides full four-year high school scholarships—including tuition, boarding, uniforms, books, and transportation—to students who would otherwise be unable to continue their education.
The club currently supports three students: Melvin , Fredrick , and Gloria. Two began in 2023, and one joined in 2024. Each semester, they share academic updates, allowing our club to follow their progress and celebrate their achievements. Last year, our Interact Club proudly contributed $350 toward the Rise to Shine Project, demonstrating the commitment of young Rotarians to global education and service.
More than a scholarship, Rise to Shine creates a powerful ripple effect: many graduates continue to college or university, secure employment, and eventually sponsor another student in need. Through this sustainable model, Calgary West Rotary is helping build stronger families and healthier communities—one student at a time.
Rise to Shine – A Rotary Club of Calgary West Story
Champion: Jenny Yu
Project Launch: January 2023
In January 2023, the Rotary Club of Calgary West took its first steps into a project that would quietly begin changing lives an ocean away. Guided by the enthusiasm of Club Champion Jenny Yu, the club partnered with the Rise to Shine Education Foundation (RTSEF)—a grassroots Kenyan organization dedicated to breaking cycles of poverty through education.
This partnership wasn’t just about funding school fees. It was about planting seeds of possibility in a region where too many futures are derailed far too soon.
Where the Need Is Greatest
Rise to Shine works in Kenya’s Lake Region—Siaya, Kisumu, Migori, and Homabay counties—communities deeply affected by poverty, limited educational access, and the devastating “sex-for-fish” economy that entraps many young people, especially girls.
For bright, motivated youth in these areas, secondary school is often out of reach. Without resources for tuition, boarding, uniforms, books, and transportation, many never make it past primary school.
That’s where Rise to Shine steps in.
And in 2023, that’s where Rotary stepped in too.
The Spark That Started It All
When Jenny was first approached in 2022 about championing an international service project, she thought Rotary might be sending her to Kenya to teach. Instead, she discovered something far more powerful: a simple, efficient model that produces deep, generational impact.
Rise to Shine conducts a thorough local selection process that identifies students who are both academically strong and in genuine financial need. Once selected, each student receives a four-year high school scholarship that covers:
Tuition
Boarding accommodation
Books
Uniforms
Transportation each term
Essential supplies and small pocket money
This structure allows students to focus entirely on their education—free from daily instability, unsafe environments, or the pressures of early marriage or transactional labour.
The Rotary Students
Through this partnership, the Rotary Club of Calgary West currently sponsors three students:
Melvin – St. Mary’s LWAK Girls’ School
Fredrick – Tom Mboya Boys’ School
Gloria – Nyabururu Girls’ High School
Melvin and Fredrick started in January 2023 and will graduate in December 2026.
Gloria joined in January 2024 and is expected to graduate in December 2027.
Each semester, RTSEF provides the club with academic reports and personal updates, allowing members to celebrate progress, offer support, and witness firsthand the transformation taking place.
The Schools
1. St. Mary’s Lwak Girls’ School (Siaya County)
A Catholic girls’ boarding school near Lake Victoria, known for strong discipline and solid academic performance. It is one of the best girls’ schools in Siaya and serves mainly low-income rural communities.
Annual Cost: KES 65,000–85,000 (≈ CAD 650–850)
2. Tom Mboya Boys’ School (Rusinga Island, Homabay County)
A prestigious National School—Kenya’s highest-ranking school category. It attracts top-performing boys nationwide but many come from economically challenged Lake Victoria communities. Excellent performance in STEM and leadership development.
Annual Cost: KES 85,000–105,000 (≈ CAD 850–1,050)
3. Nyabururu Girls’ High School (Kisii County)
A well-known girls’ boarding school founded by Catholic missionaries. It is one of the strongest Extra-County schools in Western Kenya, offering a disciplined environment and good academic results.
Annual Cost: KES 70,000–90,000 (≈ CAD 720–900)
Young Leaders Supporting Young Learners
In 2024, the Interact Club of Calgary West proudly contributed $350 to the Rise to Shine Project.
This gift reflects the compassion and leadership already growing in the next generation of Rotarians—and demonstrates how young people in Calgary are helping young people in Kenya rise to their potential.
A Vision Built on the Ripple Effect
What drew Rotary to Rise to Shine was the Foundation’s long-term vision. As Jenny shared with the club:
“Once these students complete high school, many go on to college or university. After graduation, they secure stable jobs—and then they sponsor the next young person. The ripple effect of education is enormous.”
This is sustainability at its finest: empowered young people lifting others up behind them.
Beyond Four Years – Changing Communities
When a young person graduates, the impact radiates outward.
Households become more stable.
Teen pregnancies decrease.
Early marriages decline.
Families begin valuing education for the next generation.
And entire communities—once held back by a lack of opportunity—begin to transform.
The Rotary Process
The club’s role is not just charitable; it is strategic and structured.
A detailed International Service application is completed, reviewed by the committee, approved by the board, and then funded. RCCW collaborates with Rotary Club of Kisumu Winam in Kenya, ensuring oversight and responsible stewardship of every dollar.
At a cost of C$897 per student per year, the impact is extraordinary.
Looking Forward
As of 2025, Rotary Calgary West continues to sponsor all three students, with ongoing support scheduled through 2027. The club’s consistent commitment—along with the leadership of Jenny Yu—has ensured that each student not only attends school but thrives.
What began as a single idea in early 2023 has grown into a life-changing opportunity for deserving youth, a powerful demonstration of Rotary values in action, and a beacon of hope in a community half a world away.
This is what it means to Rise to Shine.
And this is what it means to be a Rotarian.