Kenyans visit sixth graders

If you can't take the sixth graders to Africa, you can sometimes bring Africa to the sixth graders. Sisters Middle School got the latter as two Kenyans paid a visit last week and talked for an hour about life among the Maasai tribe.

Teachers Kristi Taylor and Deirdre Kanzig are in the middle of a unit on Africa. Hellen Nkuriaya and Sabore Oyie told tales, sang two songs, and answered questions Tuesday, November 18, thanks to the efforts of parent Sue Boettner who heard about an organization called "Familia Moja" based in Bend and made the connection for the middle school.

Michele Higgins, who escorted the two Kenyans, is helping establish the non-profit group in order to continue relief work with the Maasai tribe.

"My friend Jane Tormey travelled with her family to Kenya a few years ago and came back with a heart to help provide clean drinking water to the tribe, as well as to support education, particularly for young women in the region," said Higgins.

Nkuriaya explained the situation for young women to the sixth graders.

"Young girls are often married in arranged marriages at ages as young as 12," she said. "How many of you are ready to be married?" she asked the sixth graders. No students responded in the affirmative.

Nkuriaya told about her work as a teacher and her efforts to help widows who live in her area be able to support themselves through the sale of jewelry.

"Since many of the young girls and women are married to much older men, they end up as widows at relatively young ages and are unable to make a living for themselves," said Higgins.

Access to clean water is a big problem for much of Kenya as well, so fund-raising efforts by "Familia Moja" will continue to target creation of bore holes and educational opportunities.

Sabore, who stood about 6-feet-6-inches tall, wowed the audience with his stories of becoming a warrior as a young man, which included killing two lions with just a spear and a knife.

"Maasai boys leave their villages, learn to become warriors, and return as men," he said.

He sang a song and challenged two students to a bit of a jumping contest on stage to the delight of all. Higgins and her family, along with Tormey and her family, plan to return to Kenya in the summer of 2009 to continue the work that has started.

"We hope that our fund-raising efforts in Oregon will grow so that we can keep our relationship with the people living in Maji Moto, Kenya," said Higgins.

Donations can be made to Familia Moja, c/o Michele Higgins, 63445 Overtree Road, Bend, Oregon 97701, A Web site is under construction. In the meantime, Higgins welcomes phone calls at 317-9702.