Rop-Mercy's Founder
Rachel Kirui Rop, who started the Rop-Mercy Foundation in 2010, was born in Kenya where she grew up with five younger siblings. Her parents were farmers whose lives on the land were simple. They worked hard and believed strongly in the importance of education for their children.
When Rachel was still in elementary school her father passed away. Rachel's mother struggled alone to provide for the family. Because free public education was not available where they lived, Rachel's mother also had to pay school fees for all of her children.
Seeing the challenges her mother was facing, Rachel was ready to give up her dream of continuing in school and instead stay home to help her mother as best she could. But Rachel was lucky. Just when she needed it most, she got help from several people. Their generosity helped Rachel pay for school fees and supplies so that she was able to continue with her education and graduate from high school.
When she had completed high school Rachel attended the University of Nairobi with financial aid. After graduating from the university she became a high school teacher and assistant administrator in Kenya. Today Rachel teaches in a public school in California.
Rachel knows from personal experience how much getting the right help at the right time can mean in the life of a young person. Her wish now is to provide that help to other young students in her Kenya homeland through the Rop-Mercy Foundation.
