Leila De Bruyne

Founder & Executive Director, Flying Kites

Boston

In 2004, like any good liberal arts student, Leila traveled to Kenya to volunteer her time to teach orphans in the slums of Nairobi. She never found her orphans. In their place were children - bright, eager students who so badly wanted a chance to fight their own way out of poverty.

Her suitcase full of second-hand textbooks was part of the problem, not the solution. It didn't take long for her to realize that children who sleep on the street and rely on donated services often become teenagers who aren't able to carve out positive lives and build productive communities.

Inspired by a growing movement to provide a preferential option for the poor, Leila - along with her college roommate Justine and their friend Toby - set out to buy 6 acres of farmland in Kenya's Aberdares Mountains and build a preparatory school that could provide an exemplary education to some of the world's poorest children. Today Leila serves as Executive Director for Flying Kites, splitting her time between Boston and Njabini. Contact her at: Leila@flyingkites.org