The estimate was that there would be about 30 people from the USA coming for the MGLSS 30th anniversary. It was about 25, but still, this is an turnout to celebrate a school that many didn’t think would last.
In 1994, they could find only 24 Maasai girls in secondary school in the entire nation out of a people group that was estimated to be about 300,000 at that time. Traditionally, the Maasai marry off their daughters in exchange for cows when menstruation starts. This has more recently been after primary school, due to governmental protections of girls IF they are enrolled in school.
Twenty years ago, one primary school principal in a rural Maasai area told me of how he brought his daughter and two classmates to his home after the last day of the national exams for the last year’s students. He described the 10 or so warriors with spears surrounding his house, who were sent by the promised husbands of these girls. Traditionally, the fathers make wedding arrangements for their daughters and the girls have no say in who or when they will marry.
The school principal watched for the warriors to fall asleep, and he quietly snuck the girls out of his house and into his car. With the start of the engine, the warriors awoke, but the principal was flooring the car to get away to Monduli, where he brought the three girls to be part of the very first class in 1995.
Amazing alumni from the first years of MGLSS, including Jane, the first acting head of the school.
A celebratory parade to launch the celebration.
The stories are amazing of transformation to doctors, lawyers, journalists, engineers, architects, teachers, a district commissioner (like a governor), and even a pilot. While the fancy positions are amazing, I think that the biggest transformation is ongoing, as hundreds of MGLSS alumni are now teachers in rural Maasailand inspiring Maasai girls with the power of education!
I am with MGLSS alumni, Elisifa (now the matron of the school with a bachelor’s degree in social work), and Theresia (a medical doctor), and former teacher and chaplain, retired ELCA missionary, Jean Wahlstrom.
Mikitamayana Engai! / Mungu akubariki! / God bless you!