8th Grade Graduates

All across Kenya, 850,000 students are finishing 8th Grade this week.  Included among them, are five Suba Lakers.  This is a huge milestone for these girls.  In the region around Mbita where our girls come from, only 43% of girls finish primary school.  Many girls drop out of school before finishing 8th grade because of child labor, pregnancies or early marriages. 

The Suba Lakers Football Club was founded for this exact reason; to use football as a means to impact their lives physically, socially, academically and spiritually.  Football is a motivator for girls to stay in school and work hard so they can continue to pursue their dreams. 

Meet the 5 girls:

Risper Atieno Okumu

Soccer Position: Outside Midfield

Home Village: Leanda, Rusinga Island

School: Leanda Primary School

Age: 16 years

Goal on KCPE: 330+

Desired secondary school: Asumbi Girls Secondary School

Career Dream: Soldier

Jacinter Atieno

Soccer Position: Defense

Home Village: Luanda

School: Nyamsare Primary School

Age: 14 years

Goal on KCPE: 250+

Desired secondary school: Nyaburu Girls Secondary School

Career Dream: Engineer

Teresa Atieno

Soccer Position: Midfield

Home Village: Kombe

School: Christ’s Gift Academy

Age: 16

Goal on KCPE: 300+

Desired secondary school: Butere Girls High School

Career Dream: Nurse

Winnie Akinyi Ogolla

Soccer Position: Striker

Home Village: Kirindo

School: Kirindo Primary School

Age: 15 years

Goal on KCPE: 250+

Desired secondary school: Asumbi Girls High School

Career Dream: Nurse

Sharon Lavender

Soccer Position: Midfield

Home Village: Nyamanga

School: Christ’s Gift Academy

Age: 15 years

Goal on KCPE: 380

Desired secondary school: Kisumu Girls High School

Career Dream: Journalist

We are proud of each of these girls for persevering to the end.  Our hope and prayer is that they pass their National Exams successfully and are able to move on to secondary school next year.