Friday, March 6, 2015

Walking through the African Bush for Education

Meet Elijah Kirrokor and his little brother. They both are Maasai children from one of the villages we serve in Nkoilale, a small village in the Masai Mara Rift Valley.
Last year their father was walking the many miles he would every day with his goats and cattle when a flash flood swept him away. Elijah's dad was never found. Because of the Maasai's rich and ancient culture Elijah's mother then had to move to the village of her husbands father which is approximately 5 miles away from the only school in the area. Elijah, understanding the value of education, would walk 10+ miles per day through the African bush just to go to school. He would then return home and tend to his daily chores as well as sharing what he had learned that day with his little brother.

On less than 800 calories per day, the norm for the Maasai, you can imagine how tired Elijah and children like him would be by the end of the day. Malnutrition along with parasitic disease and lack of clean drinking water are normal to these children. However, they love to learn (and they learn fast!), they laugh, they hold hands, they play and are super curious. They love life and their families.




 When we learned of Elijah's story we were able to find him a school sponsor. For $150 USD per year Elijah now goes to boarding school in one of the best schools in Kenya and it's not terribly far from his village. He spends the week at school, guaranteed an education, a safe place to sleep, three meals per day, clean drinking water, safety from not having to walk 10+ miles per day through the bush, and he has many friends. He still goes home at break to share what he has learned with his little brother and the other young children of his village.





There are thousands more children just like Elijah in Nkoiale alone, just a small part of the Rift Valley. They all know that the education is there but it's just out of reach. If you are interested in sponsoring a student at Nkoilale Maasai Boarding School or our Little Giants Primary School you can make a huge difference in a child's life as well. You can be a true hero!








1 comment:

  1. Education can turn mirrors into windows for children everywhere. Helping should be everyone's desire.

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