MT. AIRY FAMILY IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN AFRICA WITH THE HELP OF KIWANIS BY BILL BUTTS, MT. AIRY KIWANIS CLUB
The Smith Family resides just outside of Mount Airy, MD. Slightly over ten (10) years ago, while on a safari vacation, family members discovered the natural beauty of Tanzania, the charm of the small Maasai villages in the area and the significant needs of the schools and children in those villages. Without hesitation, the family decided to get involved, and offered to help, beginning with Matim Primary School in the very poor Maasai community of Lemanyata Valley. The result has included the formation of a non-profit, A is For Africa (AIFA), a growing support base for AIFA (including the Mt. Airy Kiwanis Club for the past 9 years) and has resulted in significant improvement in Matim PS’ infrastructure and operational capability. On numerous visits to Lemanyata Valley over the years, the Smith family has consistently experienced a loving community wanting simply what all of us want for our children: an opportunity for a better life through education.
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The Capital Kiwanian
ugali, with greens from their personal gardens. The teachers told the Smiths that the children could not learn as they are hungry. So AIFA committed to offering a hot, enriched porridge lunch, starting with 90 kindergarteners in 2012. In 2013, the lunch service expanded to the entire school of 960 students, and today, in early 2021 the AIFA lunch program feeds 1,482 children daily.
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The Smiths also found that most of the classrooms in Matim PS were having to operate in very challenging conditions without adequate infrastructure, e.g., 100+ students per classroom without any textbooks, paper or pens. In response, AIFA has rehabilitated most of Matim’s classrooms with new floors and paint, built a library and a computer lab, as well as pay the salaries of kindergarten staff, buy school supplies and provide other needed materials.
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After slightly more than 10 years in operation, AIFA is especially proud of the enrollment gains in Matim PS as well as the steady progress of Matim students on the National Exams given annually to all graduating (7th Grade) PS students.
Maasai students come to school without the ability to speak Swahili, the national tongue and language of public education in Tanzania. These children speak Maa, their tribal dialect. Therefore, the first major step was to build a kindergarten where none existed before in order that the children would learn Swahili and be better prepared to attend and learn in first grade.
School enrollment continues to substantially increase, and the scores on National Exams in record time documents additional progress. At this point, the challenge is shifting. AIFA has become a victim of its own success! But that’s a confirmation of success, none the less!
Generally, Maasai families eat only one meal per day, often a thick ground corn porridge called
The Mount Airy Kiwanis Club has supported AIFA’s work annually over the last 9 years as part of its
