A MESSAGE FROM THE FOUNDER
My first visit to Kenya was in 1984. Even though I came to see the animals, it was the Maasai who captivated me. So when my husband planned our return in 2010, he arranged a stay in a Maasai Women's Village called Twala Women's Center near Nanyuki, Kenya. I was amazed at how different these women were from the ones I met back in 1984. Some Maasai women had obtained an education & were now empowering other women to do the same. Living within a strong patriarchial culture, this was no small accomplishment.
In 2013, I decided to revisit the Twala Women's Center. Over the 5 days I was there, I learned about the women's successes along with the barriers that many still face. I learned that many families are unable to send their daughters to school due to lack of money or not having access to a nearby school. It is often the sons who are given the chance to attend school while the daughters stay home to do chores & tend the family. Upon learning about this inequity, I offered to sponsor a girl who these women may know needing educational assistance in the future.
Six months after returning from Africa, I was contacted by my good friend Rosemary Nenini who administers the Twala Women's Center. She wrote asking if I could help sponsor a young girl with excellent grades who wished to attend secondary school. This girl is an orphan with no way to pay for school tuition. After agreeing to sponsor her, I quickly learned about the great need to help even more girls.
This greater need is the reason I chose to begin this particular charity. I have been a public school teacher for over 30 years. I understand a proper education's importance in a person's life & to society. An education can make a profound difference between living in poverty or living a healthy productive life. This difference is even more pronounced in the developing world. I have seen what an education has done for the Maasai women at the Twala Women's Center. They are opening & managing their own tourist lodge, farming their own crops to sell, & making beaded handicrafts to sell to visitors. These ventures allow them to send both their sons & daughters to good schools. It also teaches their daughters how to become empowered.
I hope you will join us in making a difference in a Maasai girl's life. With very low operating expenses, I assure you that every dollar you donate will be used to improve young Maasai girls' lives. I am happy to cover all processing and management fees.
Very Sincerely,
Gina L. Rodgers