Writing sponsor letters has been an important Daraja tradition for the last four years. At the end of each term, once the girls have finished their exams, they gather to prepare letters to send to their (mostly) U.S. sponsors. These letters usually include a piece of artwork created by each girl, and two photos with girls’ descriptions written on the back. The letters have many purposes – they serve to update sponsors on what the girls did that term, they are a platform on which the girls can express their gratitude for their sponsors, and they help create relationships between people thousands of miles apart, who might not meet face-to-face but who share a very important connection. “The most interesting thing about writing the sponsor letter is that you get to reflect on what you’ve done through the term,” explained Leila, F4.

 

The relationship is reciprocal – many students receive letters from their sponsors, too. Leila likes this, because even though she’s never met her sponsors face-to-face, she feels like they have a relationship. “My sponsors tell me about their Colorado state and what’s going on in the other side of the world,” she explained.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Betty, Form 4, likes communicating with her sponsor because “I get to know how’s she’s faring in the U.S.”  Her sponsor came to visit the Daraja campus, and Betty said, “I think we became friends when she came here – we spent some time and shared some things together.”

Of course, the Form 4s will be graduating from Daraja in a few days. When asked how they feel that this might be one of the last sponsor letters they’ll write, Leila responded, “For me it won’t be the last.” Betty agrees. “I’m a little bit sad but then I know I’ll keep in contact with her after school.”