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Adult Education Center for the Maasai

In 2018, we asked Pastor Isaya Sekuyu how Foothold could assist him in transforming his community, and he responded, “Please pray with me about starting a school for Maasai men.” He knew that education was the key to transforming his community for generations to come, and we knew his passion to see the men of his village change the destructive traditions that objectify women and neglect children.

With Pastor Isaya’s vision, Foothold launched our first Maasai adult education program in January of 2020.

Pastor Isaya Sikuyu

A servant leader in his community.

His desire to transform his community, started with empowering women and children, but he cautioned if we want to reach the men in his community, you have to honor them by talking about their cows.

Maasai men have one objective in mind,

and that is to amass cattle. The more cattle, the more wives you take. More cattle + more wives= more status.

How we started with the Maasai

The soft opening of the school was a success.

Our first day we had 11 students. By the end of the week, we had 33. Maasai men and women came to school together, breaking cultural norms. They often showed up hours early to practice their alphabet and numbers.

Moms came with babies and nursed right in class. Older men assisted younger men. They stayed after school to practice. The students varied in their education experience. Over half never went to school while others may have made it to 2nd, 4th, or even 8th grade.

Since our school is accredited by the Kenya Ministry of Education, some of our more experienced students can take their high school equivalency diploma within a year. Several hope to become school teachers to teach at the Maasai school as it grows in their own community.

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