Off the Floor With Their New Shiny" Shoes

Once again due to the generosity of the parents of students and the staff of the Early Childhood Learning Program at Holy Cross School, Rumson, New Jersey, the children of the Tawawami Project are sporting new shoes with pride.  In addition, the students are now properly learning not on the ten desks originally designed to be made but on "Lucky 13" number of desks.

For weeks now, the question was how to sustain the Project without continually depending on donations.  It is essential that the Project, one of a thousand NGO's (non-governmental organization) in Mwanza, strives to seek ways to become self-sustainable.  Varied organizations produce items that can be sold to the public from tailored products, to homeopathic remedies, jarred items, beaded jewelry, carpentry, to servicing a restaurant.  All proceeds from the sale of the items go into maintaining the activities and supporting the Projects.

Tawawami has pooled together a troupe of Maasai tribe members that will perform traditional dance and song for school groups and leisure facilities in Mwanza with hopes of generating funds.  To date, the troupe has been engaged in meetings and practices.  Their first "gig" will be a performance for my students at Morning Star Secondary School.  The troupe's goal is not only to entertain but to keep "alive" and celebrate the Maasai culture.  Unfortunately, the Maasai in the Mwanza area are often treated like second class citizens having to take work at lower wages and or seek menial task jobs in security.  The troupe hopes that their efforts will also educate the public and allay prejudice's.

Myself and Julius, a member of the Maasai Dance Troupe, pose at a newly constructed desk.

Purchasing the shoes - shops are exceptionally small; 6' x 12' (that's being generous) and congested.

Shoe district at the market in Mwanza.

Owner and sales clerk extremely pleased with the large order of shoes.

Students at their new desks eagerly awaiting their new shoes.

...and awaiting.

The children were speechless - truly a "Cinderella moment."

THANK YOU - HOLY CROSS!

Maasai Dance Troupe members and myself

Meeting of the minds - brainstorming ideas.

Practice - soaring to new heights and hopes.