Impact across borders
As she prepares to become a lawyer for women in Liberia, Peaches Dargbeh ’27 is on a path to empower others.

Photograph by Adam Atkinson
When she embarked on her cross-continental journey from Liberia to Lafayette, Peaches Dargbeh ’27 had a dream in tow: to one day return home as a human rights lawyer and advocate for victims of gender-based violence.
Dargbeh, who grew up in a low-income family with a single mother, has earned a full scholarship from SHE-CAN, an organization that provides access to U.S. college educations for high-achieving young women from Liberia, Cambodia, and Guatemala.
Only in her second year, the international affairs and history double major is already using her talents for the greater good. As a Dyer Fellow, she’s partnering with the Dyer Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship to kick-start a nonprofit aimed at helping single mothers in Liberia attain financial independence. She also helps Lafayette’s minority students feel at home as a member of both the International Students Association and Association of Black Collegians.
In her work with the Landis Center for Community Engagement, Dargbeh assists Easton-area high school students with college applications. And last summer, she conducted research with the Office of Sustainability and LaFarm on food insecurity in Easton as a Sustainability Fellow, helping distribute food to local families in need.
“I came to America with the mindset that only people in Liberia need my help,” Dargbeh says. “But I realized no matter where you are, there’s always some way you can make a difference.”
Dargbeh plans to delve into women’s, gender, and sexuality studies to learn how she can advocate for the rights of not only women, but also members of the LGBTQIA+ community, who continue to face persecution in countries like Liberia.
“The most important thing I learned at Lafayette is to be my authentic self,” Dargbeh says. “You can be and do anything here. Whatever drives you, follow it.”