Brooklyn Heights United Methodist Church

110 Townsend Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21225
(410) 789-3688

Brooklyn Heights UMC Church Council has approved an international mission project to assist Esilalei Primary School in a Masai Tribal area of Tanzania, East Africa. This school includes grades from 1 through 7, has about 246 students ages 7 through 18. Students are not advanced by age, only by proficiency with required subjects, which include English language.

Many of the students miss much of the school year because their families migrate between Tanzania and Kenya with the availability of water and grass for their herds. This slows down their class progress. Some of these students must walk 6 miles each way to school each day, and depend on the school to provide lunch.

There are no deductions for expenses in the US.

Tanzania is among the poorest countries in Africa, and the Masai tribes are at the bottom of the very low ladder there. The government pays salaries of the 10 staff members there (about $25.00 per month each). But the parents of the children are expected to pay all other cost of operating the school. This includes books, paper, etc., as well as maintenance, utilities, and most importantly, lunch for the children. The Masai are semi-nomadic herdsmen. They have cattle and goats. They do not have cash money, and will not sell a goat to provide money for the school. Therefore, the school is constantly struggling to find money to educate and feed the students in their charge. Mrs. Oola's comment was "When we have the money, we provide lunch. When we do not, we do not."

These items include corn flour, rice, beans, & cooking oil. It costs about $100.00 per day to purchase these supplies, or about $0.40 per child per day. We hope to be able to supply several days of lunch each month. If 30 groups each contributed $100 per month, the children could have lunch every day.

Mrs. Oola has established a process with the local bank in Mto Wa Mbu for cashing the US dollar checks we send, and receiving Tanzanian Shillings in return. This bank holds all funds until confirmation that checks have cleared the US banking system. Then the money is available to the school.

Our church has sent a small camera and film to the school so they can record their progress for us, and show some of the ways our contributions are being applied. Some of these photos may be posted on this web site in the future. We believe this direct involvement with the staff at the school will prevent outsiders from inappropriate access to the money. We will also send small items of sport equipment for the children from time to time