While a schoolteacher for the government in her home country of Malawi, Rachel Kamnkhwani’s eyes were opened to two things, which shaped her future. “I learned a lot about my strengths, weaknesses and passions,” she says. “And I realized I wanted to advocate for girls from underserved communities.”
Those insights eventually brought Rachel to the United States where she earned a master’s degree and is now pursuing a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Denver. She plans to use her education to help solve the education disparity in Malawi through policy and research to contribute toward an increase in girls’ high school graduation and college matriculation and completion.
She says, “I would like to be the bridge between the government and marginalized populations. I want to help level the playing field, so women have access to education and resources. I feel it’s my responsibility to create a pathway for girls and women so their journeys can be bearable.”
To the donors of this scholarship, Rachel says, “I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the donors for their generosity. While they may not see the immediate impact they are making, their support helps me and many others to thrive and achieve our academic and career goals.”
The Chris Andersen WomenLead Scholarship awarded over $100,000 to 32 recipients since its inception in 2017. The scholarship was made possible by the generosity of our donor base.
While no new scholarships are available at this time as Thrivent Charitable focuses on other educational initiatives, donors may be inspired to