Grantee Spotlight- Help for the Massai

Help for the Massai (HftM) provides holistic support to Northern Tanzania’s Massai of the Malambo community to help ensure their survival responding to the challenges they are facing in the modern world.

One of the primary ways HftM achieves its mission is through education. HftM built an English primary school at Malambo that serves approximately 300 pupils. In addition, HftM sponsors 260 pupils in other primary and secondary schools in various districts in Tanzania, plus nine students who attend universities and colleges. The support is given primarily to Massai girls, who are underprivileged in all respects of life in the Massai culture. The pupils are also provided food, medical assistance and counseling as a prerequisite for successful school attendance.

At the beginning of its education work, the Massai did not see value in sending their children to the HftM Naserian school in Malambo. However, this situation has changed and HftM is now faced with a large demand of Massai parents wishing to enroll their children in the HftM school. The demand far exceeds HftM’s capacity to admit 30 new pupils each year or find new foster parents adopting Massai children and paying for their school fees.

Circle of Sisterhood’s $5,000 grant to HftM will fund four Massai girls’ attendance at HtfM’s Primary School in Malambo and four Massai girls who have passed their final Primary School exam successfully and have the capability to continue formal education at a Secondary School in 2014.

We’re proud to support HftM in its effort to educate girls in Tanzania and look forward to sharing updates on the eight girls as information becomes available.