Walk With Me
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Every day Florah walked 6.3 miles from home to primary school. Florah is now one of 100 adolescent girls and young women we are educating.
Florah grew up with her parents and 21 siblings. When I asked Florah how old her father was, Florah said “too old”. Her father is 91 years old and has 4 wives. Florah’s parents struggled to pay school fees for her and her sisters. Flora was expected to get married at the age of 14 by a man her father’s age. Florah is only one of two sisters in her family to go to secondary school: her other 10 sisters were forced to marry. She is now one of the top students in secondary school. Florah is committed to breaking the barrier of Maasai girls who are forced into early marriages. Now as a TGFT student she will be able to pursue her education through university. |
In June we invited our volunteers to join Florah on her walk to her primary school - the O’Brien School for Maasai. 2 teachers + 6 students from The Hotchkiss School, a boarding school in Connecticut, followed Florah’s Walk With Me as well 21 TGFT students and 3 staff.
Florah's family welcomed all of them with 'miles of smiles'. Our volunteers helped Florah with her
family chores - fetching water from the stream and making a fire to boil tea and eggs, Everyone
completed the walk in 2 1/2 hours!
Clara, one of TGFT students reflected on the experience, "I now understand why Maasai girls drop out of school, especially as teenagers. Walking 22km a day for five days a month over seven years is incredibly demanding for young primary school children under 14, but for secondary school girls, it becomes nearly impossible."
During their visit at The Girls Centre the volunteers also planted trees in our campus, prepared meals and brainstormed writing skills with our students.
With each new experience we provide at The Girls Centre, TGFT students are gaining confidence, self-esteem and life skills.
We are so grateful for our volunteers from The Hotchkiss School, who contributed so much with each gesture, each smile, each moment they shared with our students.
Witnessing their comradery with us at The Girls Center we continue to be inspired by girls and women from all cultures and backgrounds who are taking action by volunteering in someone else’s community and sharing their ‘girl power’.
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