Randeep Sarai Visits Mathare to Witness How CMETrust Is Turning Girls’ Potential into Promise

“Are you planning to go to university?” The answer came back immediately, almost in chorus: yes.

No hesitation. No nervous laughter. Just quiet certainty from a group of teenagers and young adults from Mathare speaking to Canada’s Secretary of State for International Development, Randeep Sarai, and Canada’s High Commissioner to Kenya, Joshua Tabah, during their recent visit to Canada-Mathare Education Trust (CMETrust). That moment stayed with me.

“Are you planning to go to university?” The answer came back immediately, almost in chorus: yes.

No hesitation. No nervous laughter. Just quiet certainty from a group of teenagers and young adults from Mathare speaking to Canada’s Secretary of State for International Development, Randeep Sarai, and Canada’s High Commissioner to Kenya, Joshua Tabah, during their recent visit to Canada-Mathare Education Trust (CMETrust). That moment stayed with me.

Years ago, I guided visitors from around the world through Mathare as part of Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA), founded by Order of Canada recipient, the late Bob Munro. I often shared my belief that with mentorship, resources, and someone who believes in them, young people could achieve extraordinary things. Back then, it felt like hope speaking louder than evidence.

Two decades ago, Mathare, Kenya’s second-largest informal settlement, was a place where even completing primary school was a major struggle. With few formal schools, overcrowded classrooms, high fees, and scarce resources, the expectation that children could progress to secondary school — or dream of university — was almost nonexistent. Economic hardship, systemic neglect and societal pressures made academic ambition feel out of reach.

This was the environment in which CMETrust began its work, founded by optimistic community members in Mathare and a Canadian, as we set out to advance education in Kenya, one child at a time. Together, we created real pathways for young people to realize their potential, combining local insight, commitment, and international support to overcome the barriers that had long held back children from pursuing secondary and tertiary education.

Twenty years later, that hope has taken shape. Much of the Secretary of State’s visit was led by the scholars themselves. They spoke about leadership, service, responsibility, and the next steps in their education. University was no longer a distant mirage; it was simply the next step.

A key part of this transformation is Wezesha Kike! (Empower Her!), a five‑year, Global Affairs Canada-supported Community Approach Towards Gender Equitable Education. Through this program that started in 2022, we support girls and young women not just with scholarships, but with mentorship, psychological support, life skills training, self-defense, safe transportation, quality education, community service, and family engagement. Boys and young men are included as allies, because equality cannot be achieved by a single gender.

The program also nurtures Wezesha Kike! Gender Equality Mainstreaming Champions; female CMETrust scholars and alumni who carry gender equality into schools, orphanages, churches, youth groups, and other spaces across Mathare, shaping mindsets, creating safer communities, and spreading respect, and inclusion.

This approach reflects Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy, which emphasizes that investing in women and girls is one of the most effective ways to reduce poverty, build peace, and create inclusive, prosperous communities. It places gender equality and women’s empowerment at the center of development efforts, recognizing women and girls as powerful agents of change. Wezesha Kike! puts these principles into practice, turning potential into real opportunity.

During the visit, a quiet moment captured the essence of this work. When Secretary Sarai asked a parent which course her daughter hoped to pursue, the mother said that whatever her daughter chooses, she would support her. Simple, but powerful. True empowerment happens when a girl knows her dreams will not be negotiated away.

The dignitaries’ visit was not ceremonial. It was a moment of listening, reflection, and shared responsibility. It reminded us to count our blessings, celebrate progress, and pause to reflect on what is possible when families, communities, and partners collaborate. It also called on us to do more; to create more “yeses,” and to ensure every girl in Mathare can shape her own destiny.

Years ago, I was worried that young people might not achieve their greatest academic, leadership, or livelihood potential. Today, when I hear them say yes, that worry is replaced by hope. The question now is how we ensure more yeses in the years ahead, make the chorus louder, and continue turning potential into promise.

Titus Kuria
Co-Founder & Executive Director
Canada-Mathare Education Trust (CMETrust)