Sarah In Kenya

I’ve begun to tell my family, friends, and colleagues about my new job, which has been pretty interesting.  I had kept my parents and siblings apprised of the Flying Kites application process as it progressed, so it was not too much of a shock to them when I let them know I had gotten the job and would be moving to Kenya for the year.  They were all very happy for me, and I have a feeling that a few of the Medways will visit me in Kenya!

My colleagues were pretty shocked (rightly so, corporate law firm to Kenya orphanage is quite the jump) but also so supportive and interested in learning more about Flying Kites.  My friends are so happy that I am taking a chance on this opportunity and that I will be dedicating my time to helping such amazing kids.

The overwhelming messages that I am getting is “Good for you,” “You should do this now while you’re young and have nothing to lose,” and “I wish that I could do something like that.”   I am thankful that I am at a point in my life where I have the freedom to pick up and move – to take a risk on a cause that really touches me.   I do have much debt from law school, but I am trying to think creatively about how to deal with it.  I will apply for Georgetown’s Loan Repayment Assistance Program, as well as the new federal loan forgiveness program that my Georgetown professor, Philip Schrag, helped shape and that Ted Kennedy pushed through Congress.

I’ve started this blog to chronicle my experiences with my new position as Kenya Country Director of Flying Kites, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of orphans in Kenya and around the world.  I’ll be moving to Kenya at the end of October and will be posted there for a year.  In Kenya, I will be living at the Flying Kites Children Center in South Kinangop, located in the Kenyan Highlands, about 40 miles north of Nairobi.  I’ll have sixteen adorable little roommates, who you can meet here.

As Country Director, I will have three primary responsibilities: (1) overseeing the Flying Kites Children Center and ensuring the needs of our children are met; (2) developing Flying Kites’ presence in Kenya and promoting policy for children in need; and (3) preparing programming to assist Kenyan families in caring for their children and strengthening their community.  For more information about my position, please check out my professional goals.

This position is quite the leap for me: before this I attended law school at Georgetown University Law Center and worked at Seyfarth Shaw LLP in its New York office as a labor and employment associate.  However, I feel both experiences prepared me well for this challenge, and I am very excited about the year to come!