We did it! We built a School! - Our Story
With the aid of generous donations we purchased one acre of land and began building this very special school in 2017. The KIA Learning House is now a refuge for very poor children who otherwise would be unable to go to school.
We began with a dream. The dream was to create a school for the kids in the KIA (Kilimanjaro International Airport) area located in the outskirts of Arusha, Tanzania. This area is populated by Maasai families who live in very poor conditions. There are few schools in this area and there are no schools that can accommodate the life of young Masai children who must care for traditional chores (cattle tending and herding).
Village Life and the Impact of the KIA Learning House
Majengo is a Masai village. Which lies 2 hours from the city of Arusha.
The children in this area are not expected nor encouraged to attend school. Instead, they are raised to tend the goats and cows which are the traditional economic status symbols of the Masai people. The villagers depend on their animals for subsistence. For this reason, Majengo has no farms, nor markets.
Women stay home and take care of food production and do not work outside the home. They often have between 5-12 children and few mothers have an education.Young girls are expected to marry since their marriages are important to their families. Their bride price can help the families economically. Once a girl marries, she is sent away to live with her new husband away from Majengo. Our goal is not to question their values and traditions but to ensure that the girls in our school are literate, have a basic understanding of nutrition, and food production so they can pass their knowledge to their own children.
Lack of electricity
With our addition of solar electricity, the local children and women are to learn reading, farming, nutrition and healthcare through video tutorials in the Kia Learning House.
Essential nature
In a very short time, we have realized the essential nature of the KIA Learning House in the village. Teacher Jacky is viewed with awe and has become a quiet yet important role model to other women in the community. The house, water well, farm, supply store and resources are more accessible than anything in the area, which has immediately given our project a foothold of legitimacy among a people who have chosen to remain ethnically isolated from historically damaging western ideologies.
The Kia Learning House is changing lives.