Women Aviators in Africa;its more than just flying

Medicine on the Move: Fulani school, recruitment for vocational training...

2011-06-27T16:22:00.000+02:00

Medicine on the Move: Fulani school, recruitment for vocational training...: "Posted by Cindy Gracelyn Yeboah Last week Monday, I had another wonderful time with the kids at the Fulani Educational Center . Turn up wa..."

Thoughts & Travels in West Africa: Who knows of a female pilot in Africa?

2011-06-27T16:17:00.000+02:00

Thoughts & Travels in West Africa: Who knows of a female pilot in Africa?: "I do! There are many, but as not as many as there could be. A few years ago it was estimated that there were 6% of females in profession..."

HOW I WON THE WAI SCHOLARSHIP

2011-02-18T14:04:00.001+01:00

YOU ARE THE SECRET TO YOUR success – HOW I WON THE WAI SCHOLARSHIP.

WAI (Janet Clerk memorial scholarship 2011 winner)

When you commit yourself to a new way of doing things, when you take the first step, you make it possible for God to make out of you the person he intended. He can bring out strength you didn’t know you had. It was possible for me to live in a constant state of self-discovery.

It is always advisable to take some time out and think about things that help you make a better person. Thank God to my Brother Victor, friends like Kajuju (the President of the Women in Aviation in Africa), Trish (member of Women in Aviation International), and others who have charitable hearts and are ready to redefine the status of the society into admirable title.

Motivational articles raised me from the dead. If anyone would confirm it today, then life only once meant suffering and neglect. Thank God to my lousy brother, Victor who one day brought me an article “A pilot who can’t fly alone” This page inspired me a lot as miss Kajuju’s stories would always impress me whenever I come across them in Kenya’s Dailies. I was encouraged that in whatever task I attempt, wherever I am, and whoever I am doing it for. It should be done well. I said to myself that time has come to forget how often I have tried and failed, ‘the I-can’t handle-it attitudes’! I had to fight for my dreams and so I contacted Miss Kajuju and we began Communication. She is loving; kind and understanding of which I knew a few people show to strangers. My friend Kajuju later introduced me to Trish; a WAI member during a ‘Wafric’ conference held in Kenya, founded by madam Kajuju. After some talks with Trish, she advised me to apply for the Janet Clark Memorial Scholarship 2011 with which I did.

During the application of the scholarship I persisted with a lot of consultation to ensure that nothing went wrong. I had strong hopes of winning it because I have never loved disappointments and therefore I promised myself not to disappoint anyone, Kajuju, Trish and everybody who were there for me.

Since I am the recipient of 2011 WAI Scholarship, my first plan is to achieve the best in college and not to disappoint those who believe in me. I’ll encourage more people not to give up in life, and stick to their dreams and to always celebrate every improvement they make, regardless of how small it is. This is because I believe when dealing with challenges one needs to learn to prioritize. I’ll also urge young people to set realistic goals that can be carried out. After this I will try to empower as many young women as possible who fall victims of various social abuse as a result of their poor financial status. Below are just but the 5 important steps that I believe guided me to the winning of this scholarship and you might be the next.

a) Be Happy- This may not sound serious but it is packed with powerful meaning. Despite having a sick mother at home, I still had a chance to laugh and enjoy beautiful moments with my friends. Your Happiness is in your own hands; don’t ruin your very existence. Fill yourself with happiness and always find reasons for it.

Tip - Start your day with prayers. Distribute happiness around because it reflects back. Picture yourself as an evolving brand. Focus on content and style, then happiness will just follow.

b) Value relationships- Your family or friends are your precious possession. Nothing in this world can match their existence. Ignore them and you are up for failure. I learnt the importance of value when Kajuju and Trish became part of my life, since they supported all my moves.

Tip - Share happiness. Remember important dates. Talk often and devote much time. Make them feel important and wanted. Enjoy their company.

c) Kill negativity- Negativity has a serious impact on your personality and it is very destructive in nature. Keep yourself aware about your state of mind and if at any time you see negativity creeping in, dare yourself to stay away from it. Negativity led me in losing hopes in life.

Tip - Keep a check on your emotions and if they are not in line – take a deep breath to kill them. Say to yourself “I am not going to do wrong thing” and immediately change your thoughts. Remember bad emotions are momentary but they make us do blunders.

d) Don’t suppress your emotions- Suppressing your emotions creates a tension in your mind and body. It is like a volcano which has got built inside you and has been prevented from eruption. Many people fail to realize that it is only being human to let your emotions flow. Don’t think what others would think because they are no different from you. I suppressed myself with the fact that I didn’t have finances to further my education, but it was killing me softly.

Tip - Till the time you don’t offend anyone or cross norms of discipline there is no harm to let your emotions flow. It is natural to let your emotions react to situations in form of expression or feelings.

e) Forgive and smile- It is one of the best way to live life to the fullest. Revenge and hatred always keep your life off the track. While it is too hard for some people but it is never too hard to realize that committing mistakes are part of human nature only. On other side a smile on your face is good enough to take out sadness. I found peace and concentration when I forgave and forgot the painful murder of my father right in front of us.

Tip - Kill hatred and take your mind off the incident. Say you have forgiven and leave the negative thought. Start your day with smile and make sure to use it for every person. Apart from other things Smile is a recipe of success.

The happiness and success of your life is in your hands. No matter whom you are or what you do – you are the secret to your happiness and success. Live a positive life. My brothers and sisters who might get the chance to read this article, I assure you that I found my happiness when I joined Women in Aviation International (WAI). Thanks to the great women, thanks to them that helped me to dream!

- By Winnie Adhiambo

Women Aviators in Africa, 2nd Conference

2010-08-28T15:25:00.002+02:00

Its that time of the year again! Our 2nd conference as we celebrate our 2nd anniversary. This year's theme is 'The Diversity of the Aviation Industry '. We have very interesting guest speakers this year as well. Join us at the PanAfric Hotel on the 2nd October, 2010.

Women In Aviation - International (WAI) 2011 Scholarships

2010-06-26T12:57:00.000+02:00

Every year, the Women in Aviation, International offers thousands of dollars worth of scholarships to deserving women and men already in or pursing a dream in the aviation industry but have limited resources to start or finish their studies. Next year's scholarships are already out. Please click here to go to the Women in Aviation - International (WAI) website. To apply, one MUST be a member of WAI. A couple of weeks ago, WAFRIC announced about a sponsor offering sponsorship for 4 people to be membersof WAI. Click here to learn more about how to apply for this scholarship. Always remember that there are so many people out there who are willing to help, all you need to do is ASK.... Good luck in your endevours and remember to always follow your dreams...

WAFRIC Breakfast

2010-06-24T17:31:00.000+02:00

Howdy all!!!

WAFRIC would like to invite you all to our first breakfast that will be held at the Valencia Restaurant, on Riara Road off James Gichuru road on the 24th of July 2010. The breakfast is open to all who are interested in learning more about WAFRIC, the projects we are involved in, past and future projects and what you can do to be involved. Unfortunately, as we have no sponsors for this event, everyone who attends will be required to cater for their own breakfast.

Looking forward to seeing you on the 24th of July.

Safe take-offs and landings..

The diversity of the Aviation Industry

2010-06-24T17:02:00.000+02:00

Over the past two years, I have had the opportunity to meet and mingle with many women and men in different areas within the aviation industry. With each new encounter, I come to learn a new career within the sector. In doing so, I have also involved myself in projects and activities in the industry that give me a better perspective of the history of the industry and its development. Many of us, within the industry, do not know what role the other plays in making our jobs easier. This is why we decided that the theme for this year's 2nd Annual WAFRIC conference will concentrate on enlightening all about the diversity of this industry we so love.

But what can you do to enlighten yourself? There are many ways of getting information, but I believe in meeting people in person, which will not only help you network and learn, but might even stir something in you that you never realised about yourself before. Conferences are a very good way to do this. Many of us think that they are expensive but if you do your research, you'll come to realise how easy it is and sometimes, when lucky, even free. I attended an ICAO seminar yesterday. This I found as I was going through the ICAO website. The seminar was free and I for one, must say, I got to learn alot. The emphasis for this seminar was Aviation Safety. For those with access to the internet, get busy and get involved, because this industry, regardless of your rank, affects you too.

Happy landings people.

Nairobi International Trade Fair

2010-06-21T20:55:00.000+02:00

About a year ago, a friend of mine and I set off for a school in a remote town about three hours drive from Kenya’s capital city Nairobi to give a motivational talk to the students. When we told them that we were pilots, they all looked at us in disbelief.

The first reason that crossed my mind that could possibly explain their bewilderment was my gender. However, when we asked them why it was hard to fathom that we were pilots, their response was they thought that only westerners were pilots!

It saddened me to realise that for many children in Kenya the scope of their dreams and imagination was limited. Dreaming is the luxury of children, if Kenya’s bright future is to be fulfilled, our children have to be allowed to dream without limitations. It dawned on me then that we need to expand the realm of possibility for our children by opening their eyes to what they can achieve with a little dreaming coupled with hard work.
The challenge would be reaching all these students in a country that has an area of 580,367 square kilometres. The idea to exhibit at the Nairobi International Fair came up when a friend and I brainstormed on how to reach these students.
The Nairobi International Trade Fair is an annual fair that offers opportunity for regional, continental, and global exhibitors to display and demonstrate their services and products to an extensive market of potential clients as well as students. It also offers an opportunity for those attending the fair to meet various people from different countries and backgrounds, hence offering them a chance to exchange ideas and experiences, which is useful to them in their everyday lives.
Due to the large number of students from around the country attracted to the fair, WAFRIC (Women Aviators in Africa) in partnership with other aviation stakeholders are working together to exhibit at the Nairobi International Fair to provide information on the diversity in the aviation industry and mentorship to students to spur and influence their futures. Our main objective for this fair is to leave students equipped with enough information to pursue their goals and ambitions and also with the notion that their dreams can be a realised.

The greatest good you can do for another

2010-06-21T20:31:00.001+02:00

Early this year, in March, I had the privilege to visit my first aviation museum in Seattle. The Museum of Flight had organized a week long seminar, dubbed, ‘Women Fly’ which focused on Women who fly from around the world.

Students from different schools were invited to meet with professionals in the aviation field, including a career day. All sorts of activities and lectures were held at the museum. As I sat on the podium with other aviatrixes from around the world, I came to realize how lucky the kids must be to get such exposure to something they are passionate about at such an early age.

Looking back at my own country, I realized that if our students had early exposure as such, they would recognize and nurture their passion. This would lead to them investing their full potential in working towards achieving their goals, which in turn would lead to futuristic involvement in not only the professional aspect of the aviation industry but also in improvement of this industry locally, regionally and internationally. This exact reason led to the conception of the idea of taking students from the aviation clubs we have started in various schools, through WAFRIC, to visit their ‘future’ work places. Most of these students have never been to the capital city, Nairobi, let alone an aircraft. Therefore, next week, Wednesday, the students will have the opportunity to visit the Meteorological department and the Wilson Airport.

Over a month ago, we started the mobile aviation library, where we lend aviation books and magazines to students in the aviation clubs. With the upcoming Fair in September, we had asked students to learn as much as they can from the magazines and prepare an aviation-related presentation using raw materials around their community to show case at the fair. This past weekend, when we visited the students to lend them a new supply of books, we found that they had created a toy aircraft, to be more specific a certain business jet. They had even found old batteries and its wheels could move. This made me appreciate the great impact a simple thing like a word of encouragement, a book or just exposure can change one’s perspective of self.

One of my many favorite quotes is ‘The greatest good you can do for another is not just share your riches, but reveal to them their own.’ This has been proven right by the little WAFRIC has given the students and how much they have done to steer their lives in the right direction towards pursuing and fulfilling their dreams and goals.

The Mobile Aviation Library

2010-05-14T13:42:00.000+02:00

A book is the only place in which you can examine a fragile thought without breaking it, or explore an explosive idea without fear it will go off in your face. It is one of the few havens remaining where a man's mind can get both provocation and privacy. ~Edward P. Morgan

I remember last year when we asked some students what they felt they needed to get closer to their dreams, they said books. We might not be able to travel but the magazines and books open our eyes and we get to see and learn about the world beyond what we know. I knew then it was our responsibility to make sure these students have access to books as internet and computers are still in their infancy stages in many parts of Africa. The challenge would be to get the books to the students. This is where the beauty in sharing dreams come in. The idea for a Mobile Aviation Library came up after a chat with Amy Laboda. The idea of a Mobile Library was brilliant as it meant we take the books to the students and they do not have to worry about transportation costs.

Yesterday, the 13th of May, we delivered our first set of magazines to the Hidden Talent Academy in Dagoretti. The aviation club has a fortnight to read the books/magazines. At the end of two weeks, we will go back to the school and exchange with old materials with new ones and will be available to answer any questions they might have.

We are looking for volunteers willing to volunteer their time and cars so we can reach more schools. We are also looking for more aviation books and materials for the students. Thank you on behalf of WAFRIC and our aviation clubs.

Scholarship

2010-05-05T12:04:00.001+02:00

One of Women Aviators in Africa's, (WAFRIC) dream is to one day take students for the Women in Aviation - International (WAI) conference in the USA. Over the past months, we have been trying to figure out how to start this program. We figured that to accomplish this goal, we needed to first and foremost get the students registered as members of WAI. Like I said in the earlier post on EBACE, it is always good to keep an open mind when you meet people. What I forgot to mention is the beauty in sharing your dreams and goals.

I shared this dream and two WAFRIC supporters have donated $200 for the registration fee. $100 will be used for the WAI registration fee and the other $100 will be a sponsorship for students to attend the WAFRIC conference to be held on the 2nd October. The WAI registration fee will be awarded to 5 students. To apply for the sponsorships, please send an email to klaiboni@gmail.com. Below are the rules for the essay:

500 word essay on your interest in aviation, dreams and goals and what you have done so far to achieve those dreams.
Holder of an 'O' or 'A' levels certificate
From any African country
Do not forget to write down your contact information

Please remember to let the passion of your dreams be felt in your writing. Just believe in your dream and write.

We are looking forward to reading your essays.

European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE 2010)

2010-05-05T11:39:00.000+02:00

Second year in a row, and WAFRIC has had the opportunity to attend the EBACE convention in Geneva. Last year was my first time to attend the convention and I remember being extremely overwhelmed by the events and the many number of aircrafts in the Static display. Not only that, but the fact that I was new to the Business aviation world, with not muich prior knowledge of corporate aviation and the aircrafts.

This year however, I made sure I was not the same lost girl I was last year. The overwhelming feeling was still there though I knew what to expect this year. I felt like a child in a candy shop. The first day of the convention was spent walking the exhibits and admiring the newest aircraft and helicopter models spread on display by companies.

There is something about these Conventions that I have been blessed to attend over the past 3 years. Just when you think you know everything there is to know about aviation, you are surprised by learning something new. The people one meets, from different industries in the Aviation sector and countries, are all so full of energy and ideas, that one always have to have a mental pad when interacting with them to jont down everything that escapes their mouths.

A friend of mine always tells me that we can learn something from everyone we meet. And I always remember that because looks can be deciving. And I hope you too do remember this. You can learn something from every person you interact with, if you keep an open mind and are ready to learn.

Aviation

2009-10-04T15:09:00.000+02:00

The Hidden Talent Academy Aviation club has decided to come up with different activities to keep the club alive. Some of the activities include aviation poetry writing, essays etc. Below, is an essay from one of the students at the Hidden Talent Academy aviation club.

Days have come and gone,
Tragedies, disasters and other natural calamities,
have visited our lives,
but they all vanish as quickly as they appeared.

We hear stories and tales which seem untrue to us,
Stories of hope,
Stories to realise our dreams,
Tales that seem fictional,
We listen,
sceptically though,
As we dont want to believe incase our hopes are crashed.

But after weeks and weeks of this,
We realise that,
this one could be real,
its true that nobody cant doubt.
it has come from a distance.
it has penetrated and spread all over the world.

No obstacle can hinder it again,
it is there to help the world.
the poor and the oppressed are lucky.
it gives hope,
it is full of love,
and has no discrimination nor boundaries.
it is aviation!!!!!

yes aviation,
through WAFRIC it has spread like the charnobyl radiation in Hiroshima Japan
Like the burning bush,
like the ashes in air.
it is now within us.
it is there for us who had lost hope in life;
and for those whom people look down upon them.
we have to make us of this golden opportunity;
and let the world know that aviation is power.
thank you WAFRIC ,may the lord bless you as you continue giving
hope to the hopeless in this universe.
always aviation.

-By Victor Choreah
Student at Hidden Talent Academy, Kenya

HAPPY FIRST ANNIVERSARY WAFRIC

2009-10-01T02:23:00.000+02:00

I cant believe as I type this how far we have come. It seems like yesterday that I founded WAFRIC. Today, we are 1 year old and still going. As I write this, I think of the journey I have travelled through the year. It has been challenging, educative and ofcourse fun. I have met many incredible people some of whom I have had the honors of worked with. WAFRIC developed from being an I organisation to a WE organisation, weeks after being founded. This showed me how many people out there were looking to make a difference. I must say that I was deeply touched and astonished at our turn out this year during our first conference. From the 28 delegates we had during our introductory dinner last year in December to about 60 delegates, with 5 countries represented, during our 1st conference this year.

I shall forever be grateful to Liz Clark, Trish Beckman and Michelle Bassanessi for the opportunity they gave me to attend that conference in September 2008. Without this opportunity, I still wonder if WAFRIC would ever have been born. And there are no other words that can describe this better but the Zulu saying that says, 'A person is a person through other people' . So thank you!

We at WAFRIC would like to thank you all who have been with us through this past year, the new ones who have joined us along the way and to those who will be joining us in the near future.

Thank you for all your support and believe in US!!

Happy First Anniversary WAFRIC!!!

WAI 2010 Scholarships

2009-09-29T18:28:00.000+02:00

Women in Aviation - International (WAI), was founded 20 years ago by Dr. Peggy Chabrian. The organisation is dedicated to encouraging young people to consider aviation careers as well as providing networking opportunities for women and men through the aviation industry.

During the annual WAI conference, scholarships are awarded to students and enthusiasts. Click on this WAI 2010 Scholarships link for more information on the scholarships available, the deadline and application procedures. I wish you all the best in your applications and remember, If You can Dream it; You can do it!!!

Conference Follow-Up meeting

2009-09-25T13:17:00.000+02:00

During the launch of WAFRIC in Sweden, we promised we would hold a follow up meeting after the conference in Kenya. The date has now been set to the 16th of October from 1700hrs. We are still working on location and shall inform you in the next couple of days. The meeting shall not last for more than an hour and we will be talking about the conference and the projects we have started in Kenya, Uganda and Nigeria.
Looking forward to seeing you soon. More information coming up soon.

Hidden Talent Academy's Aviation Club Celebrates the 1st month Anniversary

2009-09-25T01:18:00.002+02:00

Five students from the Hidden Talent Academy in Dagoretti were among the 15 students who won the sponsorship to attend WAFRIC's first conference held at the PanAfric Hotel in Nairobi and a 30 minutes flight at the Wilson airport. After the conference, the students were very inspired, that they decided to start an aviation club at the school. It has been exactly a month since the club was started and with its about 40 members, all students at the school, they have managed to choose a committee and hold four meetings where they discuss different aviation related issues. Today, according to Victor Choreah, the club's spokesman, they shall be celebrating their first 1 month anniversary today. This gives WAFRIC great joy to see what these students took with them from their experiences at the conference and what difference they are making in their community.

Below are the club's committee:

Chairman: Enock Kimali

Secretary: Bob Oketch

Assistant Secretary: Christine Wambogo

Treasurer: Brenda Chebet

Librarian: Irene Mbithe

Organizer: Samuel Omadis

Assistant Organizer: Robert Adoka

Spokesman: Victor Choreah

We at WAFRIC and the Hidden Talent Academy, would be pleased if we'd get any kind of donations in form of aviation magazines, books or any aviation material for the club. As most of the time, these students hold their meetings without anyone in the aviation sector to guide them, we feel that these materials would be of great help to them. Please contact us if you have any donations to make. Our contacts are on our website under Contact Us.

Again Congratulations to the Hidden Talent Academy Aviation club on your 1st month anniversary!! Keep the fire burning!!

The launch

2009-09-25T00:15:00.002+02:00

The decision to launch WAFRIC in Sweden came because we felt that the African society living in Sweden needed to know who we were and what we were doing back in our continent. We also wanted to raise some money to sponsor students to attend the conference, cater for their transportation and accomodation and also get a 30 minute flight at the Wilson airport in Nairobi.

The turn out was very impressive with the presence of the Kenyan Ambassador to Sweden HE Mrs. Purity Muhindi, representatives from the Sudanese Embassy, Tanzanian Embassy and Nigerian Embassy. We also had representatives from the organisation NAWES and AfroSvenskarna. We would like to extend our thanks to all those who attended this event and those who made this event possible. Special thanks go to Evans Kamau of Ekays co. who provided us with transportation for the food and drinks, Susan Mukami who helped out in the organising for the event, Lavinia Okoth among others.

We were able to raise about SEK 2080 approximately KES 18000 which was used at the conference to cater for some expenses including student sponsorships. We shall be holding a follow up of the conference in Mid-October in Stockholm, Sweden. Keep looking at our website and blog for updates on this event.

WAFRIC to speak at the Rotary Club

2009-09-23T08:54:00.000+02:00

WAFRIC has been invited to speak at the Rotary club in Stockholm, Sweden on the 19th of November from 1800hrs local time. If you would like to know more about the WAFRIC or meet us in person, please do feel free to attend the meeting at the Hotel Hellsten in Stockholm.

After Conference Essays

2009-09-21T16:59:00.001+02:00

After our conference, held on the 8th of August 2009, we asked the students who had won the sponsorship to attend the conference and a 30 minute flight at the Wilson airport, to write an essay about their experiences and what they had taken away with them. We have put this on our website. Click below to read more about these amazing students and their essays. We shall keep updating our page with more of these essays.

The Essays

Our Dreams

2009-09-21T16:54:00.001+02:00

WAFRIC asked students to write about their dreams in their own words and what brought about these dreams. We were touched by the many dreams out there to be fulfilled. Click on the link below to read more about these dreams.

Our Dreams

Hidden Talent Academy

2009-09-09T12:36:00.003+02:00

Tucked in the second largest slums of Nairobi, is the Dagoretti children’s home and Hidden Talent Academy. I remember as a teenager, my mother dragged us to the home when she was doing her community service and leave us there from mid-morning to late afternoon. The attachment I have developed with this orphanage over the years has taken me back time after time.

The idea to start an aviation club at the school through WAFRIC seemed like the perfect way to help this little community. We did not know how we were going to get the students dreams without exposing who we are and what we do or wanted to do for them. A suggestion was made that we should ask every student to write their dream or what they wanted to be when they grew up. This was probably the best thing we have done so far. On Monday morning, we stood in the classes eagerly waiting for the dreams to be passed to us. We could not wait to get to an office to start reading these dreams. We, being aviators, schemed through the papers looking for the pilots, air hostesses and engineers. But we were slowed down by the many dreams that we read that were not aviation related at all. The passion in the writing of these high school students, the determination, the research was just overwhelming. There were many that caught my eye but three in particular and amazingly enough, all these students are in form one. The first one wants to be a Meteorologist, the second one a Journalist and the third a pilot. What is so interesting about these students? Well, we are going to put up their essays on this blog and you can judge for yourselves.

WAFRIC visited the academy and we were warmly welcomed by the students. One WAFRIC member, an Air Traffic controller, talked about her job. Many students had never heard of an Air Traffic Controller and after the talk, many were extremely interested in learning more about the job. This gives us great joy to see that we are opening these students’ eyes to see what more they can be in the world.

WAFRIC visits Naserian School in Kajiado

2009-09-09T09:22:00.002+02:00

In the midst of the ’African’ Savannah, 8 km from the main Namanga-Kitengela highway and 27 km from Kitengela town, lies the Naserian Primary School. Driving through the rough road, one cannot help but notice the zebras, gazelles, wilder beasts, dik-diks grazing among the Maasais and their herds. The harmony lived by the Maasais, their herds and the wild animals, is truly an amazing sight. Started in 1988 and officially opened in 1990 mainly focusing on educating girls, the school now accommodates 218 students, both boys and girls, with a higher percentage being girls. The school being a non-registered boarding school, means that the parents who want their children to board, have to provide food and beddings. What I found extremely fascinating is that the school doesn’t ask the parents to bring money for this. As payment for their children’s accomodation, the parents are asked to bring the following per term:

3 ndebes(tins) of maize
10 kg of rice
10 kg of beans
2 kg of cooking fat
2 kg of sugar

The parents have to pay Ksh. 200 a month, which is approximately $3, for the cook and the matron.

Mr. Kotemu, the principal of the school, has taken unto himself to see to it that all his students get the education they deserve. According to Mr. Kotemu, the number of students in the school had started to increase in the past few years as more and more parents came to realize the importance of education. Unfortunately, due to the recent drought that has struck the country, many parents are unable to provide the food due to lack of money to buy it. The Maasai people being Nomads and pastoralists have to travel great distances to find food for their cattle. The boarding school option has been a very good solution for the parents but with lack of money to buy the food, they are left with no option but take their children out of school. Out of the 75 girls who lived in school, only 17 are left at the moment.

One positive thing though is that, the staff is not giving up and neither are the students. Mr. Kotemu started an association called the Naserian Student Association in 2004. Since most students end up staying in the school during the school holidays, due to many factors, Mr. Kotemu came up with the idea of holding a forum during the holidays. The forums include parents who can make it, the students of the school and former students in high school and university. They get motivational speakers and people in different careers who advice and mentor the students on different issues. Other programs that have been implemented in the school are the child a tree project which was sponsored by Beth Maina of NAWES, Sweden and the fencing of the school, again sponsored by the same person. There is also the Naserian Child Education Fund, which sponsors high school students who cannot afford school fees.

Even with only 6 teachers to cater for 218 students in different classes, Mr. Kotemu is very positive about his students and their future. This has been reflected in the school’s improving performance in KCPE during the past years.

With only two clubs, Wildlife and social clubs, in the school, WAFRIC is looking into starting an aviation club at the school; to encourage the students that even they can be anything they dream of being. And with Martin Luther King’s inspirational words Mr. Kotemu tells his students on a daily basis: If you can’t fly, run; If you can’t run, walk; If you can’t walk, crawl until you reach your destination, we are certain that we will make it happen.

WAFRIC would like to thank the students and staff of Naserian Primary School for availing themselves on a Saturday and to the individuals who joined us during this trip to the school. Thank you all.

WAFRICVisitsNaserianSchool_album