21 Leaders for the 21st Century, 2012
Profile: Deborah Santana
Deborah Santana has just returned from Kenya, where she narrated and co-produced the award-winning documentary, “Girls of Daraja,” celebrating an all-girls secondary school in East Africa.
The boarding school accepts Kenyan girls with top academic scores and exceptional leadership skills but no means to continue their education. The academy provides shelter, food, health care and counseling services, which allows students to focus on their academic and personal potential without being hindered by the everyday barriers of poverty.
“I will continue to visit the school because when I meet people who inspire me, they fill me with positive energy to go out and change the world,” she says.
Santana is founder of Do a Little, a nonprofit donor-advised fund that serves the needs of women in health, education and happiness. Founded in 2008, the inspiration for Do a Little came from her travels.
“So many people are completely disempowered around the world and in America. My mission is for women. Women are still marginalized. I believe that women should be leaders; women need more power, education and access to health and reproductive care,” Santana says.
