Who we are?
Light of Maasai is a not-for-profit charitable organisation that gives no bias to religion, politics, race, social status, colour, gender, nationality, disability or ability.
- We value the input of all people from local and international communities;
- We promote mutual respect and understanding of each other’s values and environments;
- We honour the rights of all people and promote non-violent solutions to the challenges of poverty;
- We focus on all members of the community, women and men, children, adults and the elderly;
- We believe we can effect change and we believe we must be the change we want to see in the world.
Our vision is a world where the citizens of our planet respect each other, understand each other’s needs and help each other through difficult times, so the people of the world can live in peace.
(above: Maasai children, where they live)
Focus on our EDUCATION campaign:
Our aim is to build primary schools in the interior areas and to improve/increase the few existing schools in these areas. We also aim to build secondary schools which will provide not only academic subjects but vocational training for those students who are not academically inclined. We intend to educate the people as to the importance of educating their children and KEEPING them in education until they have finished at least secondary level.
(above: students from Nasipa primary school)
St. Joseph School's project ... its story and why it matters:In 2009 Light of Maasai received a donation of 70,000€ from an anonymous donor through the Rotary Club of Dublin Fingal. These funds were used to construct two classrooms and a 200 bed dormitory and so began St. Joseph Boys’ Boarding school. The intention was to provide the first boys boarding secondary school in the Rombo area. Desks, beds and other furniture were funded by Rotary Ireland. Water was provided by JIKA (Japanese NGO).
(above: Launch of the school with parents and first pupils)
In previous years the concentration by donors has been to ensure the safety of the girl child through education. A primary boarding school for girls and two secondary boarding schools were built. This has ensured that the local Maasai girls were given the opportunity to avail of a safe and secure establishment in which to study without fear of being removed from school to be married or circumcised.
With the emphasis previously being on the girl child, the education of boys was concentrated in the day primary schools from there they could move to secondary schools outside the area. However many could not afford this move due to the high costs of fees, the items required for entering a boarding school and travel costs (most schools are long distances from the area). As a result many boys do not have the opportunity to attend secondary school.
Continuous droughts over the last few years have seen many boys being removed from school to bring the family-owned animals long distances in search of pasture. Once removed there is little chance of them returning to education. Those who attend boarding school are less likely to be removed from school.
Boarding schools provide students with a number of advantages:
- a safe environment in which to study without fear of being removed during drought;
- the opportunity to study during the evening and at weekends;
- the guarantee of 3 meals a day, which ensures they are more concentrated and content.
Those who attend a day school often leave home without having eaten and therefore have poor concentration. On their return home in the evening often there is no food. The majority of homes have no electricity and light is provided from paraffin lamps. However, with a people living below the poverty line, few have sufficient paraffin to allow for students to study or do homework in the evenings. Rarely are they able to stay at the schools for late study as they risk encountering wild animals on their return journey home. For all these reasons, while they complete secondary, they do not achieve an adequate level of education to allow for further studies.
St. Joseph Boys’ school opened in January 2011 with an intake of 20 students. In 2012 a further 30 boys were admitted.
During the year 2011 Light of Maasai assisted with the payment of teachers. However, the Department of Education will take this over during 2012. The school has in place a parent/teacher committee along with a board of management, both are made up of local professional people, parents, the local chief and church leaders .
To give the possibility to more boys to attend this boarding school, St. Joseph needs more beds, more space and so, a new roof. The completed side of the school is overcrowded so works for the extension of the school are already began but we need your help to reach our goal; the funds remaining do not cover the costs to complete the roof ... that's why WE COUNT ON YOU!
(above: extension of a side of the school and actual status, under renovation, of the roof in the existing part of the building which is overcrowded, in progress)
Here after some thoughts from our volunteers who have visited us and they know how we are active to help the Maasai community:
ASANTE SANA from the Maasai community for your precious HELP!
