Desange Kuenihira is a graduate of Itineris Early College High School and the founder and CEO of unDEfeated, a non-profit organization that provides education for underprivileged youth and women with extreme financial hardship in Uganda. At just the age of two, Desange and her six siblings were forced to flee the Democratic Republic of Congo with their aunt to a refugee camp in Uganda due to the dangerous war. It wasn’t until she was 10 that her brother and aunt moved all of them to Kampala, the capital city of Uganda. They waited there for three years until they learned they would be boarding a plane to the U.S.; however, they had no idea where they were flying to until they landed in Salt Lake City and began the process of becoming a U.S. citizen. Desange and her siblings younger than 18 years old were placed in different foster homes until her oldest brother and aunt were able to take classes to become their legal guardians. After only six months, the family was reunited. Desange started high school and immediately fell in love with it. It was almost too easy because she was earning straight As her first semester without even knowing the language. She began searching for a more challenging learning environment and found Itineris Early College High School in West Jordan. She said, “Itineris Early College High School gave me a head start and challenged me to grow as a student and a person. If I had to choose it again, I would and I would not change anything about it. I am so grateful to have been a part of the Itineris Early College High School community!” She laughed when she considered the reaction to her accomplishments from those in the refugee camp who told her, “You’re meaningless, girl. Your life has no meaning. You’ll never even get your high school diploma.” Not only did she graduate high school and earn an associate degree at the same time, she earned two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Utah. She holds a Bachelor of Science in criminology and a Bachelor of 13
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