Students

My name is Naishorwa Sumuni Laizer. I completed my Primary education in the year 2003. When the result came I was one among those who are not selected to join the government school for secondary education. I was so discouraged and disappointed. But I couldn’t help myself in any way. I found the way to get secondary education was impossible, but I did not lose hope. My mother wanted me to join in a private school, since I was eligible to government school. My father wanted me to be married immediately, so that he gets some cows. But my mother did not want that. However she was not able to support me to go to private schools. There is no fee in government schools, but we have to pay fees in private schools.

In 2004 there was an announcement in our parish church that there is a private school is opened in our area. My mother searched and got an application form and I was selected to join Enyorrata. My heart overflowed with happiness and joy. Now the problem is that my mother is not able to pay the hostel fees for me and my father doesn’t want me to study. My mother worked hard and got some money for the school. So I did my pre-form studies in 2004. When I passed from form Pre-form to Form One (2005) my mother fell sick very severely (she got a stroke). It was a big worry in me that who would pay for me and sometime I fell sick. During the middle of the year I was sent back home to bring fees. I went back home and I couldn’t find any means of getting money. I prayed and prayed and knocked at the door of heaven. After three weeks of hard labor I got quarter on the amount needed to pay. I knew that was not enough and the headmistress would send me back home again. But I tried to climb the mountain with Jesus to request Sister to allow me in the class. For my surprise, Sister did not say anything but accepted me back.

In 2006 I was in Form Two, studying very hard to pass the national examination. Until the end of the year I did not pay any fees. I was only praying and studying without losing hope. When the result came I was one among who passed well. I thanked my god for His kindness.

At present I am in Form Three, studying hard. I will complete my Secondary education next year. All in all I am very glad and happy that the school is helping me in such a way that Sisters are always ready to receive and permit me to continue with my studies, even if I have not paid my school fees.

I like to become a teacher after having completed my studies, and I will be able to help my society, specially the girls to come up in their lives.

My name is Namayani Lomnyak. I completed my class 7 (primary) education in 2003. Soon after that my father wanted me to be married. I told my father at least give me some time to know my result. For my bad luck I was not selected to join the government school for the secondary education. When I got my result I was disappointed, but I had to obey my parents. It is too difficult for our culture for girls to remain in her birth house. When she reaches maturity she is to move to her husband’s house as the practice of engaging in childhood days. My father absolutely wanted me to move out, and I wanted to have secondary education. I had no human support. Day after day people came to my house to take me away. Moving from my house to relative’s house I spent a few months, escaping from the marriage and searching for a chance to enter into any school.

One fine morning our village catechist came to tell my mother that there was a new school being opened and if you want your daughter could join there. My father refused. I was behind my mother somehow to take me to the new school. Then I was told to join the new school I have to write an entrance examination. This news broke my heart, because I had very little confidence in passing the entrance examination. I attended the interview and entrance exam. After a week when the list was displayed with the names of the candidates who are selected to join the school, my name was there. I was thrilled and told within myself. My former teacher helped me to fill the admission form to the school and I began. When it came to the hostel fees, there was no one to support me. And I was send away from school. When my mother witnessed my fate, she went to relatives houses to collect money for me. I completed the Pre-Form of one year.

In the year 2005 no one gave me the fees. When I was sent back home for not paying the fees I had no way to get some money. So I remained at home almost two months. Finally I was ready to give up my desire of secondary education. On the following Sunday when the headmistress saw me in the church, she enquired about my return. She told me to come to school for an explanation. I had no more hope so I did not go. But when my brother told me to go to meet Sister to explain my family situation, I climbed the mountain with a half mind. For my wonder and praise to the Almighty, Sister told me to go into the class.

Our school is not just a school, but a place where we grow physically, mentally and spiritually. I have a desire to do charitable deeds as our Sisters do. They are just working for us alone. I came to believe God is so alive in these Sisters and on our mountain. In our struggles and difficulties we are together with our Sisters. This I like so much unlike in the Maasai society. We have always a chance to say our opinion in this School and so we have grown in decision-making which is very much lacking in our Maasai society for a girl.

I am proud of my School because it provides a place to stay, there is no disturbance, we are all one in all our activities, we have many chances to learn very many things, like typing, computer, farming, gardening, leadership etc. When I go for holidays our neighbors say that I am different from other school going girls. And I myself know that we learn and experience life more than the others do.

 

Letter from Sister Denis

Enyorrata E Ngai Girls’ Secondary School is situated on a hill unlike the other Secondary Schools. In the year 2004 the Missionary Sisters of St. Ann agreed to collaborate with the Archdiocese in this endeavor. The Archdiocese would search for finance and build the school and the Missionary Sisters would administer the school. Four daring Sisters climbed the mountain on 5th February 2004 not knowing the culture, practice and behavior of the local people. (Maasai are a special group of people with their tradition and gallantly keeping the cattle).

For the Sisters it was an alienated area and had several obstacles to move into action. [To start] there was no water supply, the people spoke a language unknown to the Sisters, [there was a] non-availability of food, lack of transport and several [others]. No sooner [had] the Sisters began teaching, two young Maasai men (warriors, sent by the village chief) came up with a long knife to question them, [about] who had given them permission to begin anything on the mountain. They said the property belonged to them and no one had the authority to come in. It [was a] threat to the sisters. One of the Sisters dared to speak [up] and said that they better ask the village chief for clarification. However, if they planned to kill us, let them do so. [The sisters were not leaving].

There were 42 young Maasai girls who joined the school and they stayed in the temporary small round houses. All most all [of] the students are engaged in marriage to some elderly men as [is] the practice in the Maasai society. These students have sincere desire to study because they [were not accepted to] government [schools] due to the poor performance in the primary school. Parents do not consider the girls’ education, and no one takes initiative to work for the under privileged Maasai women.

There were three underground water tanks, which were filled with rainwater when we arrived on the mountain. [We did not know] the depth of the tanks nor the quantity of the water inside. One fine morning we found that the water tanks were empty (not knowing we used up all the water). We had no way to go, but to decide to close and go [back] down [the mountain]. But the students refused to do [that], because if they [went back down] they would never come [back, because] they will be forced to go and live with whom they are engaged and that will be the end of their education. The students said they would pray for the rain. It was the dry season and the sky was full of stars with the full moon. We sisters said that if we listen to the students who do not know the science and seasons we will have to bear the consequences. The students prayed in loud cry that night and there was a pouring out [of] rain only on our mountain. People form down came to see what was happening. The innocent children came to us early [in the] morning, informing [us] that the good God heard their prayer. We sisters had no answer except tears in our eyes, amazement and wonder.

The Archdiocese began constructing one dormitory and two classrooms in the month of August 2004. Until December 2005 the constructions were not ready and so we could not make it to receive another batch of students. So we remained with one batch of students and they reduced from 42 to 38 in number. During 2004 and 2005 it was too hard for us to get confirmed about the establishment of the school. Several meetings [were] held with different groups of people [about] whether to have the school on the mountaintop or not. By the end of 2005 we came to a conclusion to stop what we had started due to [all the] problems we faced. Not enough level ground for construction, construction materials [that had to be] transport from a distance, no accessibility to road, non-cooperation of the local people, extreme cold, no water, lack of enough finance, unprotected area with thick forest and wild animals behind us etc. When the students came to know that we plan to close the school, they said that they would pray and the Sisters shouldn’t give up. Forced by the motive of the students the Sisters’ group began to accept it as God’s will [and] the Sisters moved forward courageously and did the following:

  • Registered the school to the Ministry of education (which was not possible without enough physical structures)
  • Accepted the second batch of students and [housed] them in the shed.
  • Began work for the construction - bringing materials, repairing and building the class room
  • The first batch of students secured 15th position among 139 Secondary Schools in the Zone in their national examination
  • The good discipline and formation of our students attracts other conservative Maasai to look at the school and education.

Achievements during 2006 and 2007:

Physical structures: Construction of one dormitory, two class rooms, one dining room, one kitchen with store, shower rooms with 12[showers]), 12 pits latrines and 3 laboratories.

Mental status: Good result of our students in national exams. The school strength is 103, the great response from the students, positive outlook of the local people at the school etc.

Today Enyorrata is a shining lamp from the mountaintop to all those in darkness of ignorance in education. As we go forward we have a great hope that this school will give birth to many good female leaders to lead the Maasai Society and the nation at large.