The education of a Maasai girl is an amazing transformation. The small, shy, pastoralist girl becomes the young, confident educated woman. She is ready to face the world and contribute to her family and community. Some graduates return home, some enter colleges, universities or vocational schools and others seek employment. All have been transformed by their education at the MaaSae Girls Lutheran Secondary School (MGLSS).
The School is located in Monduli, Tanzania, a village 45 minutes outside of Arusha. Since the school was founded in 1995, more than 650 girls have graduated and over 300 of these girls have gone on to institutions of higher learning. Today’s graduates now work in their communities contributing in the fields of education, business, tourism, community development, and health care.
Each fall a class of 60 or more girls enrolls in the school. It has become a critical force for girls who otherwise have no access to education beyond primary school. In fact, fewer than 10 percent of Tanzanian girls are able to attend secondary school. The residential high school, complete with dormitories, classrooms, computer lab, library, dining hall, and teachers’ houses, is free for the girls who are selected through a process of interviews and recommendations from their primary school teachers. The school is supported by many churches and other donors through Operation Bootstrap Africa.
Bethel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Winchester, VA has a longstanding relationship with MGLSS. Through the generosity of sponsorships, donations and volunteering of time and talents, Bethel has helped enrich the lives of many very grateful young women.
