OUR MISSION
Rusalia Resource Foundation provides education and mentorship for economically disadvantaged girls showing academic strength and the leadership potential to transform Western Kenyan communities.
Vision of Success
Success for Rusalia Resource Foundation could take many forms. At its core, success would mean providing economically disadvantaged girls in Kisumu, Kenya, with the tools and resources they need to succeed academically and professionally, and to become leaders in their communities. This might look like girls graduating high school with strong academic records, going on to college or other professional training programs, and securing fulfilling and well-paying jobs. Success could also be measured by the impact that these girls have on their families and communities, as they become advocates for education and positive change. Ultimately, success for Rusalia Resource Foundation would mean breaking the cycle of poverty and inequality, and empowering girls to reach their full potential as agents of positive change in their communities and beyond.
Education & Beyond
Through our mentorship program, we provide guidance on a range of topics, including health, academic success, and college preparedness. Our ultimate goal is to empower these girls to reach their full potential and become agents of positive change in their communities.
Student Application Process
Every year we carefully consider many young women for acceptance to our mentorship program.
How We Measure Success
We take our work very seriously. As a result, we have very clear metrics for how we define success.
Our Donation Process
We believe that transparency is at the heart of a successful non-profit organization.
Meet Our Team
Rusalia Resource Foundation was founded in 2020 with the support, expertise, encouragement of the Inspired leadership Initiative at the Iniversity of Notre Dame and its fellows.
Dr. Juliana Otieno, M.D. | Co-Founder
jotieno@rusalia.org
Juliana grew up on a Kenyan sugarcane farm, traveling eight miles to attend school as a child. Her passion for education ultimately led her to earn a medical degree from the University of Nairobi before embarking on an accomplished three-decade career in public health, one that challenged her to work as the only pediatrician in Kisumu county in Kenya and, where she also ended up becoming the Chief Executive Officer of Western Kenya’s largest public teaching and referral hospital, the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH).
Dr. Otieno worked with colleagues to obtain a grant to enable them to open the first public HIV clinic at the JOOTRH in Kisumu, Kenya tackling an urgent public health crisis and other HIV-related issues. Despite her busy schedule, Dr. Otieno continued to teach and mentor students throughout her career before retiring in 2018. Dr. Otieno has a wealth of experience as a pediatrician, a manager, and a leader. Her vast experience in medical, managerial, and leadership is gathered over the years of her career has served in different capacities in different institutions including; serving as a Board member in primary and secondary schools and working closely with the local communities on matters of health, education, development, and policy change in various and in sometimes difficult contexts.
Dr. Otieno is a 2005 Opus Prize finalist and ILI FY20 fellow at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana.
Cari Shein | Co-Founder
cshein@nd.edu
Cari Shein owns Shein Realty, where for the past 30 years she has acted as principal in the manufactured and modular home subdivision and park development, and in the rehabilitation and trade of small commercial properties. Additionally, she held active roles in her family's manufacturing business, the Commodore Corporation, a national supplier of factory-built housing. Ms. Shein has been an active participant in her community and has served on many boards, including the South Bend Symphony Orchestra, Michiana Mathtracks, WNIT (a PBS affiliate), and the Chicago Human Rhythm Project. She earned a B.A. in political science from UCLA, a Master’s in International Management from the American Graduate School of International Management, and an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago. Cari was an ILI FY20 fellow at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana.
Meet the Board
President
Cari Shein
Treasurer
Orlando Rodriguez
Board Member
Becca Shein
Vice President
Dr. Bernard Nahlen
Faculty Advisor
Rev. Bob Dowd C.S.C.
Board Member
Joe Drey
Secretary
William Schenher
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Jaimie Bleck