Maasai Mara Tuition Fund
My friend Jack Lekishon has been tireless and unstoppable in his commitment to keeping people fed and clothed and in school. Jack Lekishon has also been helping to facilitate learning in schools by ensuring no child learn while hungry through children feeding programs.
In addition, During these pandemics crisis, Jack Lekishon has also been helping these girls to access menstrual hygiene products and fighting against increased discrimination. JACK MESSAGE: "Lockdowns, closed borders, shuttered businesses – the coronavirus pandemic is having far-reaching consequences for many people. Economic disruptions has lead to women and girls losing access to hygiene products. These include sanitary pads and including pain medication and soaps."
JACK ALSO SAYS, "During these unprecedented times of pandemic crisis, poverty rate is high and it makes it harder to access menstrual hygiene supplies and care they deserve. We should always ensure these items be declared essential and remain available for our girls. These essential hygiene products are a priority for the health, dignity and welfare of our girls." With stores and public transport closing, rising costs and increasing economic uncertainty, they are now facing even bigger hurdles. They have even reports about many women forced to prioritize food and water over personal care items.
As we begin the school year, please consider contributing a bit more to keep these children in school.
This is a recent message from Jack:
"We're still on our education empowerment programs for our Maasai Girl' Child through education. To ensure that our girls are not neglected, discriminated and are not staying in villages
Admissions to quality schooling is not free on the Maasai Mara. Covid-19 has rendered Maasai families unable to sustain themselves in myriad ways. Maasai Mara families rely heavily upon sustainable and ecologically conscious tourism: for employment and land-lease income through wildlife conservancies, for reliable customer bases for their local crafts, for a proven effective way to preserve their ecosystems, for access to better medical care, food and education, etc.
Right now, it is particularly crucial to keep girls in school and help them gain the skills to negotiate better lives for themselves. Without a quality education as an avenue for self advocacy and advancement, the reality for girls will be one of falling into domestically abusive relationships (untimely marriages to older men, genital mutilation, in addition to generally not being invested in by their communities) and we are fighting for women rights.
Every society on Earth is plagued by misogyny and sexist double standards. It's important, if we are intent upon helping others, to first understand the routine atrocities against girls and women (specifically indigenous girls and women/girls and women of color) which we have normalized within our own communities. If we go forward in this way and recognize our own willingness to learn and change, we can give with a feeling of hope and a sense of faith that others too are willing to open their minds and hearts to a better way."
I would love to raise tuition fees for as many girls as possible!
