Grace Kejo

16 years old, attending Haven of Peace Academy, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Grace was awarded a Beacon Scholarship in June 2022.

Grace is a mature and diligent student who applies herself rigorously to all her studies with a serious and unwavering focus. In her first year at HOPAC she has received the principal’s honour roll and the award for academic achievement in psychology.

Grace has a wide-range of co-curricular interests: the weekly debating sessions she attends stood her in good stead for the DARMUN Conference and to speak at a TEDx event; she focuses great energy on music, teaching herself the piano, finger-style guitar and composing. She also enjoys singing, football and basketball.

Grace is active in many communities: she is House Captain, and as part of this role maintains bulletin boards around school to ensure that everyone is aware of current issues. She practises leadership and public speaking through her participation in the World Scholars Club and is active on different social media platforms. She is a passionate advocate for education and was selected as a National Delegate for the mock Education Ministers Summit on climate education and to speak at a TEDxDIA Conference.

Grace embraces Citizenship in many ways: she was awarded the RISE finalist certificate for showing a ‘calling to build a better world’; this was for her social impact project streaming music to address mental health issues. She uses her social media presence in her role as a World Literacy Fund Youth Ambassador, leading a fundraising project – a digital magazine whose profits support WLF’s mission of ending illiteracy worldwide. She also led a service project teaching business basics to disadvantaged girls.

Beacon Workshop Participation

Grace’s 2023 Summer Beacon Citizenship Project was ‘Advocacy Academy’ – a two week course focusing on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and how they relate to young people’s lives, as well as debate practice using MUN techniques. 

In Leadership Workshops, Grace is proactive in approach and eloquent in her communications. She provides excellent leadership when needed, whilst also knowing when to let others step in and take charge.