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At the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro, in the South of
Kenya, at the border with Tanzania, lives a community of the Maasai
tribe. For generations they moved around with their herds of cows and
goats. Now on the one side there is the Tanzanian border which they are
not supposed to cross, on the other side there is Tsavo West National
Park, which is strictly forbidden to them and their herds. They might
interfere with the game and the pleasures of the white tourists.
The elders of the Maasai community understand very
well that their children cannot continue like their grandfathers and
fathers used to live. There is no escape, their way of life must change.
Their children need education, the community needs a school. The
community leaders sat down in a meeting and decided to raise funds to
start a primary school.
In 1994 they had constructed a wooden shed, divided in two small rooms,
providing room for 2 classes of pre-primary school, and the first two
classes of primary school - dark, mud floor, packed. In 1995 groups of
children were taught under the tree, if there was no rain, or elephants
around. Local Outreach Europe representatives visited, saw the need, and
discussed with community leaders.
Plans were made. Budgets were prepared, and approved. A plot of
community land was set aside. Funds were raised, and in 1996 the first
three classrooms of a new school, made of stone bricks, with cement floors,
and windows, were constructed. In 1998 the next two classrooms, an administrative block, and the latrines were constructed.
Early 2001
the last three classrooms were completed and the school was officially
handed over to the community.
The government appoints and pays for the teachers. The parents provide
the desks, the books, and other materials. Outreach Europe provided for the funds
for the construction materials and the labour where we needed trained
workers to construct.
With a total investment of EUR 35000.- a full school with 8 classrooms was constructed, providing primary education to some 500 Maasai children.
For photos
please click here.
In September 2005 we started building a new primary school. Please click
for more information on the Mabirikani Primary School.
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