A Kenyan teacher is making an impact in the United States of America by creating a center that inspires the black community.
Julie Weche founded and owns Elimu Tutoring Centre in Baltimore, Maryland, one of the state’s most populous cities.
She teaches Swahili to the black population, and approximately 15,000 Kenyans residing in the city benefit from her classes.
Weche attended Kenyatta University in Nairobi before continuing her studies at the University of Maryland and Alberto University in Canada.
She then began her career as a high school teacher in Kenya before moving to Botswana to work as the director of the University of Botswana Early Childhood Learning Centre.
Weche chose Baltimore as her next step in life due to her strong desire to work with children and her extensive experience.
In June 2016, she expanded her Elimu Tutoring and Training Center by establishing Elimu Driving School.
However, after the epidemic struck in 2020, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan closed her Elimu Tutoring Center to save revenue.
Following the closure, Hogan constructed makeshift hospitals in Baltimore and directed millions of dollars to help small companies.
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The closure had a negative impact on Weche’s center, prompting her to create masks to stay afloat.
At the time, her center had also announced a community effort that had been negatively impacted by the pandemic’s consequences.
Weche, together with her husband, Tom Mwaura, went out to the Kenyan community in Baltimore.
The Okoa Elimu Programme is a fundraising initiative initiated by the community.
In two weeks, the community raised and surpassed the objective of Ksh 3.5 million, assisting the center in getting back on its feet.
Due to limits and containment efforts imposed by US President Joe Biden’s administration, Elimu Tutoring Center changed its business strategy and began offering online programs.
After the government permitted it to resume full operation in June 2021, the center began holding low-budget events such as weddings and fundraising for the Kenyan community in Baltimore.
