Amani is dedicated to supporting not only our kids but our surrounding community members. In listening sessions with our neighbors - the Maasai people of Northern Tanzania - we heard a deep desire for 1) child care that would allow women the time to pursue business ventures and 2) access to early childhood education. Our center has a Montessori Preschool and a full-time teacher certified in early childhood education. Help us offer 40 scholarships ($150 each) this year to children in need!
The Maasai are a traditional pastoral people within Northern Tanzania and Southern Kenya. Members of these communities have some of the highest illiteracy rates (~75%) and the lowest school enrollment rates (~5%) across traditional cultures globally (TenMe, 2009). Young boys tend to have better access to education than girls (Hodgson, 2001). As such, 92% of women have not received any formal education (Maa Trust, 2023). To bridge this gap, early childhood education is vital to gender equity!
Amani Children's Home plans to provide ~40 scholarships to our Montessori Preschool. Access to early childhood education is very limited in our region, especially for Maasai parents. Such programs support children's psychosocial development, improve motor skills, and launch linguistic and creative growth. Furthermore, by providing Maasai mothers with free child care, we can give them more time to pursue their entrepreneurial and educational goals!
By providing scholarships equally to young boys and girls, Amani can help close the gender equity gap in educational access. This project will support 40 young children for a full academic year. This means more Maasai girls are set up for success in primary school and beyond, despite cultural and financial barriers. Providing childcare means women can also elevate their own prospects through business ventures. This benefits not only those women and children but the entire family's well-being.
