Enkisoma

I met two powerful women yesterday - funny, warmhearted, passionate and strong. Dr. Kakenya Ntaiya comes from a Maasai village in Kenya and was engaged to be married at age 5. To quote from the brochure for Kakenya's Center for Excellence (www.kakenyasdream.org) "She was expected to marry upon completion of primary school at age 13, effectively ending her education," Kakenya had a vision of being a teacher and not a child bride, so she convinced her father to postpone the marriage until she could finish grade school. Later, she had to negotiate with all of the village elders to attend college in the US and enlist the villagers to collect money and help pay for her journey. She awas the first girl from her village to attend college in the US and now she holds  a PhD in education from the University of Pittsburgh.

Dr, Ntaiya started a school for girls in her home village shortly after receiving her doctorate. The families agree to let the girls finish their education in place of marriage and they also agree that the girls will not undergo female genital cutting, which is part of their culture. The girls and their mothers raise money for school uniforms, books, and school fees by making bracelets and other jewelry in the traditional Maasai style, as well as cloth gift bags. Amazing that one woman with a vision has completely transformed her village.

The other woman I met, Ellen Ito, began the Seeds to Sew non profit here in the US in order to sell the bracelets and gift bags made by Kakenya's students. In only three years this organization (www.seedstosew.org) has become a force in two villages in Kenya, enabling girls and women to get an education, build self-esteem, and earn an income. Two people with a vision, merged to lift young girls up to achieve their dreams of education (enkisoma, in the Maasai tongue). Isn't this what life is all about?