Growing up in Kenya, Monicah Pirisi Lekupe ’26 always aspired to pursue an education beyond the borders of her home country, particularly at the tertiary level.
Like many young people, Lekupe sometimes wondered whether her hard work would pay off. A conversation with her English teacher reassured her that, with effort, her goal was within reach
Years later, while in high school, another conversation with Sarah Hadden, Executive Director of the Kenya Drylands Education Fund (KDEF), a scholarship program she was part of, introduced her to Ashesi University and its scholarship opportunities. Applying to Ashesi, Lekupe was happy to learn of her admission into the undergraduate program. She was even more excited to later learn about her acceptance into a comprehensive scholarship program.
“It meant almost everything to me,” she recounts, recalling the moment she received the news about her scholarship.
Pursuing a degree in Management Information Systems (MIS), Lekupe describes her academic journey at Ashesi as one defined by growth.
“I had difficulty engaging with people and speaking in public,” she shares. “But the warmth of the Ashesi Community and the constant class presentations have made me significantly better in these areas.”
This growth extended into how she solves problems.
“The entrepreneurship aspect of the curriculum has helped me to better analyze problems and develop practical solutions,” she adds.
Apart from academic work, Lekupe actively engaged in voluntary initiatives aimed at making social impact. As a member of Magnificent Smiles (MSmiles), a student-led group, she contributed to fundraising efforts that supported donations of food items and other items to orphanages in selected communities in different parts of Ghana. Lekupe also dedicated time to equipping primary school pupils in Berekuso and surrounding communities with painting skills, helping nurture their creativity.
She deepened her involvement in community engagement and student-led impact initiatives through the Millennium Fellowship (Class of 2025), a six-week fellowship program jointly run by the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) and the Millennium Campus Network (MCN).
As part of the Fellowship’s EduGo project she worked with other team members to educate junior high school students in selected parts of Ghana on climate change and related issues, which were climaxed with tree-planting activities. Menstrual health education was also provided to female pupils in these schools.
The willingness to always give back to society in one way or another, Lekupe says, is inspired by the support she received in diverse ways, especially with her education.
“Giving back doesn’t always have to be something big,” she explains. “Small acts, even your presence, can make a difference.”
Stepping out into the world, Lekupe remains guided by the lessons that have shaped her journey: continuous learning and the belief in possibility.
“If you have a dream, start with small steps and never give up,” she says.
