“THE OG’S”
The Original Girls
Enrolled in 2017. These girls were among some of the first Maasai women from their region to attend school past the 8th grade. Now they’re paving the way for girls in their community. They had a very difficult transition into secondary school because they mostly only spoke Maa which is the Maasai lagunage. Schools in Kenya are taught in English and Kiswahili. So not only did these girls have to learn TWO new languages to study, they were also enrolled half way through a school year. It was very difficult to find a school that would even take them. We interviewed with many schools and were denied by most. They are all now fluent 3 languages, their mother tongue as well as English and Kiswahili. While a few of the girls have managed to maintain pretty good grades regardless of these hurdles, several of them feel they could benefit by repeating their last year of high school. Even some of the girls that have above passing grades may choose to repeat their senior year so that they can be set up for success when they transition to college.
Seleyian
Form 4 - 12th Grade
Seleyian Ritei | English name - Anne
Seleyian is in her 4th year of high school. She loves history and singing and she’s really good at basketball, which is her favorite sport. She has 3 sisters and 5 brothers. She was the 6th born. She hopes to be a doctor one day. When we first enrolled Seleyian, she requested to be put in a different school than the rest of the girls for fear that they would distract her from her studies. We did that for her for the 1st two years. But after she reported that the school had changed management and started using the students as laborers, we went to check things out. The school was making the students work so much on their growing operations that they weren’t able to focus enough time on their studies. So we moved her. She’s doing really well now and eager to graduate when the schools re-open after Covid.
Seleyian is Sponsored by Luke Lee.
Poola
Form 4 - 12th Grade
Poola Parkesian | English name - Grace
Poola is a future advocate for women’s rights. She wants to study law and get involved in the fight against FGM, child marriage and equal rights to education. This was her goal when we first met her and now, nearly 4 years later and after 3 years of schooling she’s still aiming for the same goal. Poola, along with all the OG’s, had a lot stacked against her when we first enrolled her. Not only was it the middle of a school year already, but she only spoke Maa (the Maasai language). Schools in Kenya are only taught in English and Kiswahili. So we had a really hard time finding a school that would take her and the other girls. Now, Poola is scoring 5th place in her class of 33 and is fluent in English and Kiswahili.
Sintoya
Form 4 - 12th Grade - And Hiari Project Local Advocate
Sintoya Parsanga | ENligsh name - Grace
Sintoya is an absolute go getter! She nearly didn’t get excepted into our program because we were at capacity (financially). But she kept showing up pleading to be let in and sending relatives to do the same. When it came time to enroll the girls, one of our original 10 was unknowingly already pregnant the school would not accept her. That made space for one more girl. So we brought Sintoya in. Now Sintoya is the “Prefect” for her class (class leader). She’s also already begun saving other girls from FGM and child marriage in her village. She’s one of the strongest most confidant Maasai woman we’ve met. She refuses to be treated as lesser than a man, which is custom for their culture. Sintoya is excited to be one of the girls that will eventually take over management of the Hiari Project. But first she has to focus on her studies and finishing school. That still doesn’t stop her from doing what she can to support her local women though.
Sintoya is Sponsors by Chuck Midgley
Kiserian
Form 4 - 12th Grade
Kiserian Nkoitamany | English name - Jane
Kiserian comes from a family with 3 brothers and 3 sisters. She’s the oldest and wants to set a good example for her little sisters. Her father is not very supportive of strong females and creates a very suppressive home environment. He’s one of the few parents that could actually afford to send his daughter to school but refused because, he’d never waste his money on a girl. Because of the way she was raised, Kiserian was really shy when we first met her, especially if her father was around. But now she’s in her senior year and has really blossomed into a strong and confidant young lady. She loves history and has a strong interest in farming, even though that’s considered a mans job. She wants to study to be a nurse and she wants to build her mom a house.
Esupat
Form 4 - 12th Grade
Esupat Ntiani | English name - Joyce
Esupat comes from a family of incredibly strong Maasai women who unfortunately are in severe financial hardship. She has 4 sisters and 3 brothers and her mother is a widow. She has a twin sister who is already married and has 2 children. Her mother sold her only goat in an attempt to get her daughter in school but, it wasn’t enough. Esupat is so lucky to come from a family of strong women who already know the importance of an education and are in full support of her getting it. But without school fees, her father’s brothers would have taken ownership of her and forced her into marriage. We’re happy to report that Esupat is now in her 4th year of high school and due to graduate in March. She wants to be a doctor and we plan to get her through university so she can do that!
Meoshi
Form 4 - 12th Grade
Meoshi Mampatwa | English name - Karen
Meoshi is in her 4th year of high school. She may have to repeat the last year, as several of the girls may do. None of them spoke the languages that school is taught in (English and Kiswahili) which was a huge hurdle to overcome. But her English and Kiswahili have come a long greatly and she’s starting to do better in school. It’s pretty incredible that she’s been able to pick up not one but two new languages in the last 4 years and not only understand them but, study things like chemistry in these new languages. Meoshi loves making Masai jewelry, soccer and she really enjoys chemistry. She hopes to be a nurse, specifically for her own village.
Malaso
Form 4 - 12th Grade
Molaso Ningori | English name - Mary
Molaso comes from an incredibly poor family. Her father used to be a farmer but since the drought he has been unable to successfully grow anything. So he lives and works about 7 hours away near Nairobi, as watchman for a hotel, and is able to earn enough to send home about 3$USD per week to feed the family. Her family families annual income is less than $300 per year. Her mother told me that they often eat only once every 3 days. She has 4 brothers and 3 sisters. Molaso now lives at a boarding school. She loves school and is performing really well. She wants to study to be a nurse and come back to support her family.
Rael
Form 3 - 11th Grade
Rael Reson Mwendet | English name - Rachel ( Ra-hel)
Rael was a later addition to the original girls. She’s one year behind them in school. She was brought to us by her 2nd mother (her father’s second wife) pictured below, after her mother and father both died of AIDS. The 2nd mother was HIV positive and widowed and knew she wasn’t going to be able to care for all the children from two wives. Rael has 5 sisters and 2 brothers, we’re unclear on if that’s from just her mom or including the other mother’s children. Rael is incredibly sweet and bright. She wants to be pilot!! She’s in her 3rd year of high school now.
Nmanyak
Form 4 - 12th Grade
Namnyak Saruni | English name - Josephine
Namnyak has had one roller coaster of life since we met her. She was one of the girls that inspired the start to this whole project. When we first met her, her mother was trying to hide her from her father who was trying to circumcize and sell her for cows. He was one of the only parents who was really not interested in seeing his daughter get an education and instead wanted the cows he knew he could get for her. With her mother’s help, it became a race… who would win, us getting her to school or him marrying her off against her will? We ended up successfully enrolling her and her father who was very old (approx 80 yrs old) ended up passing away. From that point on Namnyak was safe to pursue her education. Unfortunately though, during the Covid pandemic and while schools were shut down, Namnyak got pregnant. We are still uncertain if this pregnancy was voluntary or not. Namnyak made it to her senior year of high school and was not only one of the best students amongst the Hiari girls but also had some of the best grades in her entire class. At this point all we know is that we’re looking for a way to let Namnyak finish her education if she wants to. If you choose to sponsor her, please reach out to us directly as sponsoring her now, with child, may look a little a different.
Morosian
N/A
Morosian Teketi - English name - Eunice
Morosian has dropped from the program due to unforeseen hardship. We’re hoping we can still help her when the timing is right.
Kenja
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Kenja Selim | English name - Ann
Kenja is the girl that was not accepted to school because when they did her medical exam, we found out she was pregnant. Kenja was an incredibly talented photographer while in our program and really really wanted to go to school. We’re hoping that once her child is old enough to leave with family members, we can still help Kenja with adult education.
Nkoipai
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Nkoipai Lekutoni | English Name - Faith
Nkoipai made it through her second year of high school. While on school break she got pregnant and forced to marry. So she had to drop out of school. This is why it’s so important to us that we are able to build the program to provide alternative living and education opportunities for the girls when schools are on break. We haven’t been able to make contact with Nkoipai since she dropped out. But we hope to find a way to still help her if she wants it.
