A Scholar's Story: Kitty-Anne

Dear Anaya's Village,

As the college semester begins, so does the next application cycle for our 2027 scholar cohort. Each year, it is a privilege to support our scholars as they navigate their college journey. As we reflect on the past eight years, we take moments to celebrate the lives and successes of our scholars. We are grateful to have the opportunity to share another scholar success story with you today.

Today, we are sharing Kitty-Anne's story.

Sincerely,

Monica Kachru, Founder, Anaya Scholars

“I always envisioned in my head what my life would look like and I didn’t want to give up on that.”

Kitty-Anne came to America five months after the 2010 earthquake devastated her home in Haiti. She recalls her mom saying that they had to leave, “It smelled like death”.

The first four years in America her family experienced homelessness in New York. When they moved to Boston, family members were able to help her mom to get a job and they were finally able to find their own apartment.

Kitty-Anne had arrived in this country speaking no English. She was excited about learning English in 3rd grade with other immigrant students.

“The first time I learned the life cycle of a butterfly I was so excited - it was the first time I was excited about science...The things I didn’t understand provided an opportunity to learn about something new. You have to find something positive in all the negative or you’re likely to drown.”

Kitty-Anne graduated from Quincy High School in 2020. She always wanted to go to college and always feared that she’d have to give up on that dream. She knew she could get in, but had anxiety about how she could afford it.

“I always envisioned in my head what my life would look like and I didn’t want to give up on that.”

Then she found Anaya Scholars.

She continues, “I felt so fortunate to find someone like Monica. My mom had always told me, “when things want to stay dark and frozen- find a way to help others. Monica, has turned something dark into something beautiful.”

Kitty Anne was paired with a mentor, Keshal, who helped her navigate the practical and personal challenges of college—from choosing a school and understanding financial aid to managing her time and planning for the future.

"Keshal helped me with the little stresses of everyday life. He taught me that when I was struggling, to ask for advice. He played such an important role in my college experience and navigating my future- in the little things and keeping my eye on the big picture. I gained more from him than I could ever have imagined.”

She chose the Mass College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences because she wants to become a doctor.

Since graduating in 2024, she is now at Boston Medical Center as a medical assistant, saving money to attend medical school in the upcoming year.

Keshal is guiding her in applying for leadership opportunities and internship programs. One of these experiences is developing her own project, Sign&Co. The purpose is to ameliorate communication between the deaf and hard of hearing community and medical professionals.

“As I continue on my medical school journey, I will always be so grateful for the dedicated mentorship provided by Keshal and the Anaya Scholars program.”

Talent is everywhere. Opportunity is not.

We exist to close that gap.

- Anaya Scholars