Our Schools
The Maasai Heritage Preservation Foundation UK (MHPF UK) support a number of schools in Africa.
Each of the schools supported by the Foundation has been established by people from the region where the schools are based. They share a common passion and determination to help to provide education for their children and believe that this is central to the future of their culture and lives. The Foundation believe that this approach is the only way to find success and are proud to be partners and supporters of these schools.
MHPF UK are proud to be helping the remote communities to realise their dreams.
The Queen Elizabeth Academy Mlali (TEAM), Tanzania
TEAM was founded in 2006 by Kilines Sekwiha to allow orphaned children from Mlali to attend school. Many children in the region have lost either one or both parents to HIV and Aids. It was the dream of Kilnes to see the children of Mlali be able to attend school and to be able to offer them the opportunities that she has seen in her own life, thanks to her own education. She wanted to see children of Mlali and Tanzania have the gift of education both in life studies as well as academically and that the children should have a place to come and eat regular meals, something which they were not previously guaranteed.
Founding the school on her own and funding the day to day running herself, the school initially opened with 20 students in attendance. Kilnes is a student herself and has never actually been able to afford anything that she has done. It is with through her own belief and determination that has enabled the school to flourish under her leadership.
In 2008, MHPF established a partnership with Kilnes and invited her to become the Foundations Director for Tanzania. It was the pasion for education and the desire to help her own people that drew MHPF UK towards her. A key philosophy of the Foundation is that the first people to help with education is the people who live there. What Kili had already achieved and with such little support signified her compassion towards the people of Mlali. It was therefore easy for MHPF to become partners of the TEAM project and to help drive it forward. With the help of the Foundation the school has grown to accommodate 60 children, helping develop Kili's dream.
In 2009, the school saw the development of a farm that will provide food for the school as well as the local community. It also saw the school grow to accomodate 120 children. Plans are in place that will see the school devleoped in 2010 to provide education to over 200.
Through the development of the school, the entire community are benefiting. As well the children of Mlali having a place to attend school, job opportunities have been created in the areas of farming, security, cleaning and cooking.
Memusi School, Magadi, Kenya
MHPF UK started supporting Memusi School in 2007.
The school was founded with only 5 children by a local called Simantoi Mbarye. Seeing the children of her region playing in the dirt with no form of education, she feared for their future and set up a school with guidance from the foundation. Over the next year, the school would be embraced by the people of Magadi, although it would facea number of challenges throughout. The school have faced drought as well as the difficulty of the the majority of the school collapsing during a storm.
Through all of the hardships it has faced, the class sizes of Memusi have increased so much that 2 more teachers have now been taken on. The school has won local awards in competitions against other schools. The school is succeeding and more children are turning up on a term by term basis requesting attendance.
Due to the success of the school, it has developed to the point where it cannot take on any more children. The tin building where the children are educated simply cannot take any more people. The Foundation is working with the school to establish a new building that will provide quality education to 450 children. The academy will result in extensive education opportunities to the children of Memusi, as well as creating a resource centre for the adults of the region. The school will be open to all people within the community to ensuring that the reach of the establishment is vast.
Similarly to the project at Mlali, the Memusi Academy will benefit the local community. The establishment of a farm to provide food to the school and community with food. It will result in employment opportunities for the people that live in the local area. Again, the school will act as the central focal point for the region.
Nissi School and Orphanage
Throughout 2009, MHPF UK has been supporting Nissi School and Orphanage with Stationary items to aid the support of the school. In late November 2009, Matthew and Howard (Trustee of MHPF UK) were lucky enough to visit Nissi to see the work that is happening to support the children of Narok.
With the great majority of children attending the school being orphans, the work that is being carried out at Nissi is simply extra-ordinary. MHPF work with people who are trying to make a difference themselves and this is certainly what is happening at Nissi. It is not possible to make a school succeed where education is thrust upon an area. The communities of Nissi are actually doing things for themselves. They started an orphanage to look after children that have been abandoned, that lost their parents in the political violence of 2008 or that simply cannot be looked after by their parents any longer. They also started a school that has 5 classes and provides education to 100 children. This shows passion, desire and drive to make a difference and Nissi certainly are not sitting back and waiting for aid.
Although the buildings are not solid, the orphanage is a warm and welcoming place. The staff who look after the children are headed up by 75 year old Robina, who has the most amazing personality, who all of the children see as their mother. With a wonderful team around her, the orphanage offers a home to 50 children and is growing weekly. The children are fed, clothed and cared for, making a guge difference to the children who live at Nissi.
Although Nissi are progressing and have achieved a great deal, they still need great support to continue and move forward. The school relies heavily on the well wishes of others to ensure that they can progress. MHPF are thrilled to be able to support Nissi School and Orphanage through the supply of stationary and school equipment. The relief of such costs will enable the school to invest its minor funds in other key areas.
Nissi School is a wonderful cause and a wonderful opportunity for the children of Narok to progress in life.