Kakenya Ntaiya is not a typical Ph.D. student — she hails from a small Maasai village in Kenya. At a young age, her father intended her to drop out of school and marry a local boy, but Ntaiya knew she wanted more. She negotiated with her father and convinced him to let her go to secondary school. The deal she struck then led eventually to college in the United States.

She was the first girl from her village to leave and continue her education. Now, she's giving back: she founded a school for girls.

Host Peggy Wehmeyer spoke with Kakenya Ntaiya, a winner of the National Geographic Emerging Explorers Award, about her journey.

Music for this show ...