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Can One Girl Challenge The Traditions Of Her Village?

Part 4 of the TED Radio Hour episode Overcoming.

About Kakenya Ntaiya's TED Talk

Kakenya Ntaiya tells the fearless story of challenging ingrained traditions, insisting on continuing school, and becoming the first girl to leave her Maasai village for college.

I think sometimes there's instincts in us that just tells us that there's something better.

About Kakenya Ntaiya

Kakenya Ntaiya was set to follow the traditional path of Maasai girls in Kenya — to assume the role of a young wife. But she had a different plan. She not only convinced her father to continue high school, but she negotiated with village elders to attend college in the U.S. Later Ntaiya returned to her village to establish a school for girls. The Kakenya Center for Excellence started in 2009 with 32 students, and focuses on academics, leadership and female empowerment.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

NPR/TED Staff