6 minute read
Water is Education For Samburu Girls
A rousing HOLA! were the first words the 22 girls of Wamba Girls Secondary School‘s Journalism Club heard from The Samburu Project’s photographer, Mamen Saura. Everyone calls her Mamen but the name on her Spanish birth certificate says Maria del Carmen Saura. A former teacher, who is equally passionate about Samburu as she is about storytelling and photography, came to Wamba this past summer to conduct a 6-week workshop on iPhoneograhy and storytelling.
Wamba Girls Secondary School is located in Wamba in the heart of Samburland about 6 hours drive north of Nairobi. This boarding school enrolls more than 500 young learners. The campus has access to water (a luxury in this part of the world), sports activities, a science lab and a rigorous curriculum that starts at 4am every morning. The dedicated teaching staff helps the girls learn and graduate with the best scores possible on their final exams. The pupils know they are fortunate to have an education but in most cases, what comes after graduation is a big question. With few female role models and virtually no access to the internet, career guidance is another challenge they face.
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To help shine a spotlight on the lives of Samburu girls, and to help them find their voices, The Samburu Project declared 2022 as the Year of the Girl. Finding your voice and using it to speak up is not something that is practiced often by Samburu girls. School in Kenya is about discipline first and foremost, especially for girls.
Having someone stand in front of them asking for their loud voices, and playful participation was a new experience for the students but they proved to be quick learners!
The six week workshop moved quickly. The girls first learned the basics of using the phone’s camera (a tool that most Kenyans have in their pockets), good photographic composition, the basics of telling an engaging story and creative thinking. The ultimate goal was to observe their surroundings and tell an interesting story. During the first session they took a lot of selfies. By the second class, they were learning how to view the world around them through a new lens and find the beauty in their everyday environment. They learned from each other’s successes and mistakes. They practiced how to exercise their imagination, and they definitely laughed a lot
“I love working with these girls, watching them blossom, using their loud voices to be heard, and seeing the world through a new prism is extremely gratifying. I know that learning is happening because their appetite for knowledge is insatiable. At the end of two hours each day, they still want more from me. I can see how energized they are by the end of each session,” said Mamen Saura
The former president of the school’s Journalism Club, Pascaline Lochuraki, a recent graduate from the school, was invited to return to participate in the workshop. Since graduation she has been insecure about her next steps in her education. Currently, with the support from TSP, she is applying to colleges. When asked about the workshop she said:
“I am enjoying the class so much! I didn’t know learning could be so much fun. The sessions inspired me to pursue my dream to attend college to become a journalist.” Pascaline and all the other Journalism club students are now very motivated to pursue a higher education. Slowly, their voices have emerged. Even their teacher noticed a change in attitude in their regular classes. They participate more and are more engaged. Their curiosity has definitely been awakened. By the fourth session, Mamen no longer had to prompt them to return her Hola! when she entered the room. Their eyes opened to new possibilities.
The Samburu Project has been working in Samburuland since 2005, providing access to clean water as a catalyst for community development. Since that time, TSP has drilled 137 wells in the area and many of them are in collaboration with schools. There is now a new generation of girls who go to school instead of collecting water every day. Beyond water, The Samburu Project is committed to further supporting Samburu communities with initiatives impacting health, education, women’s empowerment and community growth.
Mamen Saura of The Samburu Project talking to students during the workshop.
As part of the Storytelling workshop the last session concluded with a visit by AirKenya Marketing professional Jackline Wambugi and pilot Cynthia Njoki. Jackine spent time with the girls of the Journalism Club providing information about the myriad of jobs that require photography, storytelling, and design skills, how to pursue that next step in their education and providing lots of inspiration. Cythia spoke to the entire student body. None of the girls had ever met a pilot before, let alone a female one so they had lots of questions! She told them what it takes to become a pilot, what courses are required, how long it takes and other jobs that are available in aviation. The event introduced the girls to female role models who provided inspiration and knowledge of career opportunities that were previously unknown to the students. It was a memorable afternoon for all.
The opportunity to visit Samburu and interact with the girls at Wamba Girls Secondary School was also a life changing experience for Jackline and Cynthia. Surely it will be the first of many visits by AirKenya employees in the future.
“Career development should be encouraged and nurtured from a young age. It was amazing interacting with the girls and sharing about the various aspects of my profession in Digital Marketing. If I inspired just one girl, I accomplished my mission,” said Jackline Wambugi
The workshop was made possible by various donors who believe in the power of girls and gave iPhones and supplies. The Samburu Project is working to bring this workshop to other high schools in Samburu every year. If you want to be a part of the efforts, check out their website thesamburuproject.org.
AirKenya is a proud sponsor of The Samburu Project.
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