The Maasai tribe has lived in Tanzania for centuries. Well-known throughout the world, the Maasai are nomads, moving frequently for fresh grazing land and water. There are stories shared from generation to generation about the Maasai being created to be the caretakers of all the cattle of the World. Their military strength was respected by explorers during the nineteenth century and their land was rarely disturbed.

As the men are warriors, hunters, protectors and herders, much of the day to day work is left to the women. In addition to "normal" female tasks, they are responsible for building their homes, gathering firewood and food, and carrying water, etc. Some of these tasks take hours each day!

The males of the tribe have had the opportunity of education for some time, but not the girls! Their role was minimal freedom, strict married life and domestic drudgery. They have had only the remotest chance to better themselves.

Enter a Prime Minister, a Lutheran missionary, a Lutheran Bishop (a Maasai)... and Mama Ruthie, a Maasai wife, mother, grandmother who is an out-spoken advocate of the Maasai girls!

The Prime Minister, the late Edward Moringe Sokoine, the missionary, Rev. J. David Simonson, and the Bishop, The Reverend Thomas Laiser, had been meeting with the elders of the Maasai literally for years, trying to convince them their daughters needed to be educated - to save the Maasai Tribe. It is a proven fact that children of educated mothers fare better, the infant mortality rate goes down, the family and the village all benefit ... from the mother's education! The men were not making great progress.

Enter Mama Ruthie. As a woman, she was not allowed to stand and speak before the elders. But that didn't stop her! On her knees she approached the group, and adamantly, with many gestures, told how desperately the Maasai needed education for their daughters!

The end result... the dream of education for the Maasai girls was about to become a reality!

The MaaSae Girls Lutheran Secondary School (MGLSS)

On a coffee planation on the edge of Monduli, Tanzania, a village some 45 miles outside of Arusha, sits the MaaSae Girls Lutheran Secondary School. Although the school is under the auspices of the Arusha Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania, the majority of the funding comes from donations from outside of Tanzania.

The majority of the construction has been completed. The first buildings were started in 1994, with the dedication held in May of 1995. The first class of Maasai girls had already arrived at the school and were eagerly studying! As the needs of the growing school are identified, other construction might be needed.

Students

The students are selected from the surrounding primary schools. The teachers recommendation is based on the student's academic skills, motivation and character. They are the brightest students in their class! MGLSS teachers interview the students in Maasai, English and Swahili before their acceptance is verified.

Curriculum

As a "class" of 45 girls comes to the school, they spend four months in PreForm One, learning English, Swahili and Math. Their first full year, Form One, they are taught ten subjects: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Math, English, Swahili, Civics, History, Religion, Geography, Home Economics and Agriculture.

At the end of each Form, they must receive a certain average in order to continue. The plan is that girls will attend the school for seven years, ending with Form Six. Form Six would be equivalent to first year of college.

Teachers

At the beginning a small Tanzanian teaching staff was assisted by volunteer teachers from the States. The majority of the staff is now Tanzanian with a couple spots for volunteer American teachers.

Site

The school is located on the coffee plantation (approximately 750 acres) which was "given" to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania for purpose of establishing the School. Its design follows that of a traditional Maasai village or kijiji. A chapel is in the center, surrounded by two circles of buildings. The inner circle is the dormitories and classrooms, the outer circle the laboratories, a library and an administration block. Teachers' houses are outside of the compound. All buildings are constructed of cement blocks and stone, with corrugated iron roofing. The entire campus is enclosed with a barbed-wire/hedge fence for the security of the daughters of the Maasai.

Funding

Gifts for the school come from individuals, congregations and organizations in the United States, Denmark, Holland, Canada and Germany. The students are supported by scholarships of US$750.00 per school year, $375.00 for a half scholarship. Without these scholarships, 95% of the students would be unable to attend the school. Other gifts are given to the Shule Fund, which is the discretionary fund and covers incidentals and unforeseen expenses for the girls and classroom projects. Operation Bootstrap Africa administers the Scholarships, Shule Fund and Teachers' salaries. All gifts to the School are tax deductible when given through Operation Bootstrap Africa. It is hoped that the coffee plantation on which the school is located will eventually support the school.

To sponsor a student, or to donate funds towards teachers' salaries or books, please click Here. All donations are administered by the Operation Bootstrap office in Minneapolis.