Staff Spotlight: Beverly Aims to Inspire a Community of Young Changemakers in Homa Bay
Educate!’s vision of one day measurably impacting millions of youth across Africa begins internally. As an organization committed to developing people, we are continuously inspired by teammates who embody our “youth first” values and have dedicated their careers to expanding opportunity for young people. One such individual is Beverly Nicole Adhiambo from Homa Bay, Kenya.
Beverly enjoys a laugh alongside a participant in Educate!’s bootcamp
Beverly is a passionate advocate for her community and its young people. Residing in the same town where she grew up, Beverly is a Program Officer at Educate!, working to deliver bootcamps for out-of-school youth unable to access secondary education. The bootcamp, designed primarily for rural girls and young women, aims to provide young people with the 21st-century skills to navigate barriers and build their livelihoods through entrepreneurship in the informal economy. Beverly’s familiarity with Homa Bay, a fishing town located on the shores of Lake Victoria, offers her specialized insight into her community, and it also means she is no stranger to the hardships experienced there. In her hometown, a third of girls do not finish secondary school and two out of five girls become mothers before the age of 20 – more than twice the national average in Kenya.
When speaking to Beverly, you can’t help but feel her infectious energy and abounding passion for making a difference in her community - fueled by the impact she has witnessed firsthand. Beverly actively engages in multiple facets of the bootcamp. From leveraging her local networks to support recruitment efforts and enroll the hardest-to-reach youth to collecting and embedding youth feedback to improve the model, Beverly does it all. She also goes the extra mile to accompany youth on their learning journeys, often joining in on activities, such as walking through fish markets to compare prices.
“When I get to interact with youth and make an impact, it just feels good.”
Beverly at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina as part of her fellowship.
Given the prevalence of teenage pregnancy in Homa Bay, many of the bootcamp participants are young mothers. As a parent herself, this resonates deeply with Beverly. She is keenly aware of the challenges young parents face and shares the same wish that parents in Homa Bay and around the world hold for their children: a brighter and more prosperous future. In addition to teaching youth practical and relevant skills, she also recognizes that young people need role models and mentors, and “need to see real-life examples of people who’ve been in their shoes.”
Beverly lights up when speaking about individuals in her community and how their lives have changed course through new learning experiences, like the young mother who was able to leave an abusive household or the girl who couldn’t believe the money she earned was hers to keep. It is the genuine relationships she’s built and tangible progress she’s witnessed that keep her going - relentless in her pursuit to build a community of young changemakers in Homa Bay.
But Beverly’s influence and talent extend far beyond her community and Educate!. She is also making waves on a global scale. As a fierce advocate for young people and civic engagement, Beverly recently spent six weeks in North Carolina as a Mandela Washington Fellow. Selected from a pool of over 38,000 applicants, Beverly had the opportunity to grow her network, build her skills toolkit, and collaborate on challenges that, as she learned, don’t solely exist in western Kenya. While the fellowship was an invaluable experience, one of Beverly’s biggest takeaways was greater recognition of her own strength. “I’m learning to be tough, to be strong, and to focus on the vision.”
Looking ahead, Beverly is excited about what the future holds. Eager to continue learning, innovating, and advocating for youth, she is an inspiring example of the passionate individuals driving Educate!’s mission – those we are so honored to have as a part of our team.