Starfish Africa is a New Jersey-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that sponsors talented but needy Kenyan teenagers at top-notch Kenyan secondary schools. Over time, we hope to expand our operations into other African countries. Guiding principles: - Africa's future is bright, so long as we empower Africa's brightest We hold high hopes for Africa's future, and those hopes depend critically on the continent's next generation of leaders. We believe that if we help identify, enable, and empower those leaders, Africa will be in good hands. - Aid is a catalyst and not a solution Tuition grants alone are not the answer. We use finances to help eliminate hurdles, but our commitment is to our students, not their diplomas. Additionally, to diminish dependency and facilitate ownership, we require the families and communities of our sponsored students to foot a very small (but economically meaningful) portion of the education bill. - Stewardship is paramount We use our resources carefully. We grow our organization's scope only when it is operationally feasible. We invest as heavily as we can in our core mission - our on-the-ground needs in Africa. How we work: * We target a specific niche in African education While many notable organizations sponsor children of varying age and ability, we choose to target a very specific niche - Form I (freshmen) applicants who excelled against the odds in free primary school but are on the verge of leaving school altogether due to steep secondary school tuition costs. * We partner with elite schools Our sponsored students have exceptional intellects. To optimize their educational opportunities, we partner with a handful of the very best secondary schools to find appropriate homes for our students. * Our sponsorships are proactive We organize recess activities for our students, to include overnight camps and service projects. We correspond with them and review their academic progress each term. And we aim to partner each student with a local mentor to further enhance their overall development.