For centuries, the Dorn Savanna has been the lifeline for the Maasai people. The Massai have lived in the border region between Tanzania and Kenya for hundreds of years, almost completely removed from all civilization. The remoteness of their location has spared them from many ordeals, but it also makes it challenging to provide education for their children.
In the village of Kasiole, for example, 12 families live in huts with only two rooms, forcing them to send their children to a school that is hours away on foot. Many parents are afraid to send their children on the 10-kilometer journey to school, which also passes through an area inhabited by dangerous wild animals.
Despite such challenges, students like 8-year-old Moseka brave the journey to receive an education. In the mornings, he guards his family’s cows and goats until dawn, after which he begins the long walk to school. His mother worries and warns him about the possible dangers along the way, especially with elephants recently visiting the area. Meanwhile, many other children stay at home to tend the cattle.
While schooling is mandatory in Kenya, it is not enforced, and in Maasai culture, building large houses is impractical, with homes only expected to last two to three years and made from cow manure and straw-covered roofs. This way of life is not conducive to providing the educational opportunities necessary for the community’s future.
To learn more about the challenges faced by the Maasai in providing education for their children, watch the documentary “The Maasai Way of Life” today.
