Giraffes at Lake Manyara.




The Camp crew in Serengeti. Lepapa at left backrow.

HOW I ATTENDED SCHOOL

Dear all,

I would like to take this opportunity to write my own story and the way how did I attend the school.

I'm Lepapa Putari Ole Nengeliai from East Africa and my Nationality is Tanzanian. I am the man at left in back row of picture above. I wear a yellow shirt. This picture was taken by my friend Steve at the Safari Camp in the Serengeti.

I was born in a village called Loiborsoit A, in Manyara region. In my family we are seven children: five boys and two girls and I'm the first born in my family that is the name Lepapa is originated means a SON OF FATHER.. My dad’s name is Nengeliai and my mam name is Nanoto. My grandfather has got four wives and my dad is the first boy in my grandfather’s family but the second born child.

During that time before I was born my dad liked school very much but my grandfather did not allow him to go to school but the government has made force that every elder must take one child to school and my father was lucky to go to school. During that time there was a lot of missionaries so it was a boarding school and the pupils stayed there all time till they complete there school. They were not allowed to go home frequently because they parent hide them so that they will not go to school any more.

My dad finished primary school there after he went back to my grand father but my grand father told my dad that he will not got to school any more because he missed my dad for a long time and my dad was very good for protecting or taking care of the livestock so my grandfather migrate to another place which is not possible to be seen by the government. It is in the bush , forest and is not near the towns.

There after my dad was forced by his father to get married and there is no any alternative to disagree. My father get marriage when he was 18 year old. In maasai land the parents are the ones who choose and select a wife for their son so my grandfather went to look for a wife for my father- she is my mam. They paid bride price 25 cows and my mam married my dad. My mam was married when she was 13 years old. That was very young at that time and even nowadays there are some places in maasai land where they practice this thing.

When a women in maasai land before goes to the husband’s home she can get training from the parents but women especially train their daughters before they get married. This training it involve the way how a wife cares for the husband and clan by preparing food, washing, cares livestock and to be able to recognize all of the husbands livestock. If one is lost she will be beaten severely, collecting fire wood, fetching water and sexual satisfaction . All this a girl must be taught by parents before she get married because it is very important.

I was born 15/february 1980 My dad knows the date when all children born in my family. My mam was very young when she get a baby but my father loves her very much I normal like to know the life when my mam married and the time when my dad married and when I was born they slaughter a sheep for the member of our home, neighbours and relatives. People celebrated a lot if a baby boy is born. A baby boy is called [LEPAPA] in maasai land. Father’s prefer a baby boy to be born first in the family because they believe that boys are the one who will heritage his father but a girl is married by another man.

Giving Birth

When a maasai woman delivers a baby first of all they take an arrow and bow to get a blood from the cow. This means that if a baby boy is born they will take a blood from a male bull- this will show that a baby boy is born and if a baby girl is born they take blood form the female cow to show that a baby girl is born so when people hear that some one get birth in a certain boma they go to that boma and watch which sex of age are they going to collect the blood from.

This blood must be mixed with milk and given to women in order to recover the blood which has come out during birth. She can be fed by the women for two days there after they will slaughter a goat for the women. It is important meat which is very light and not difficult to chew for a woman. Also she will drink a soup of that goat for two to three day and there is traditional medicine this including the roots, leafs of more than twenty trees of the forest and this soup is bitter but she must drink. Not only that but she can also drink the fat they believe that the fat can help a women to recover soon from baby delivering.

When I was three year old my grand father taken me to care for the calves. I had to ensure that the calves will have pasture but it is near home. My mam brought some food for me either milk or meat. She loved me so much and I real love her too. There after I started to go to school I still remember that my dad took me to school to get registration and I was wearing maasai cloth. It was an unforgettable day to me because the environment was different from were we live and I saw the teacher having stick and I was some pupils when beaten by the teacher I worried a lot and also the language they using is Kiswahili and english but I do'nt know.

After I got registration my dad left me back home and I stayed with children which are the same age with me but most of them are maasai and others are non-maasai. I got a friend who is a maasai his name is Kelembu and he was the same age with me and we get the same registration we start to make friendship and we don't know to speak swahili so the only language we speak is MAA if the teacher speak to us we speak MAA but I thank God that after a month I started to know a little swahili.

I use to walk far to school but not only me we was many but my mam prepare some food for me. She can take a calabash and put some milk and I go with it to school and all other pupils who are far from home to that so we have a place which we keep our milk until the lunch time. In the first of starting primary school was difficult to me.

In the second year I got other friend and the subject are very difficult but other friend of mine called Noongiya like to escape the classes but what I did is doing the same with him but I was discovered by the head teacher I was beaten a lot since that time I broke the relationship with that friend and I was a good attendee in school and also I started to open my mind and learn hard.

In standard 3 I was very intelligent. I scored number four[4] out of 95 pupils. My dad and mam were very proud. and my teacher also other pupils stated to worried me and they asking assisance for some of the subject like english mathematic and civics. I was adviced by my father to respect the teachers and everybody who is elder than me.

In standard four there is always a great competition that there is a certain score you must rich in order to get to standrd five. I worried a lot that maybe I will ashame my dad and mam. Then I started to make more effort and study harder and harder but I thank God that I performed well in my examination and I went for class five there after class six and I finished class seven that is an end of primary school education.

When I completed standard seven I wanted a lot to go for secondary school. I completed standard seven 1994 but I stayed at home for three years because my dad have no ability to pay school fees and other required things. There is a lot of my classmate who went for secondary school but I cryied a lot to my dad and mam so that they can take me to school. I real remember one day I cried untill my mam cried too when I was home. I was just taking care of my dad cows and my dad has got 10 and we are many so he failed to sell the cows in order to get school fees because he has got a lot of people who depend on him like my aunts, uncle and others who are not able to buy food for their family and my dad is only the one boy who is the first and who is educated up to primary school.

When I was in the forest I was praying and put my knee down and started to pray to God so that I can get support to go to secondary school two year gone without getting it then I said I will never go to school again I cried for three year to God but I thanks God that my dad went to one missionary who stated gospal to my village. There swedish people my father requested them if he could find sponsorship for me the missionary promised my dad that he will look for it. I was proceeding praying and my mam do the same, I will never forget it was 22nd February 1997 my father came and take me form the place I was caring his cows and brought me to Arusha.

When we riched to the tamack road I never see a lot of cars so I was suprising a lot my dad told me don't worry as long as I'm with him. I was like 17 year old that time but I have never been to Arusha town. We went to this missionary house in Arusha is called ULAMAY and fellow Mr and Ms Blohm he was given my father money and he took me to a secondary which was in Arusha Monduli district is called MORINGE SOKOINE SECONDARY SCHOOL. Life changed a lot because I had never sleep in a matress so I started to sleep on the bad of madress at that time.

My father bought books, pens, pencil and ruler for me and all other things which are needed at the school also another thing which I will never forget is that first day when I weared a trouser and shirt. It was interesting. one friend of mine told me before you wear a trouser you must wear underwear first. Sure these things were very strange to me that time but I thank God that although I was primitive I have been able to live and stay with people at school who are not my tribe.

I tried to study more hard because every year the school have examination and a student needed to reach 50% in each subject. I was studying hard and ask assistant from other student who understood the teacher more, I was happy that when I'm asking for the favour every body was helped me in all subject. I studied in that school through the sponsorship of them till I finished form four, Missionary continued to support me for form five and form six which I attended the high school in Kilimanjaro region a school called VUNJO HIGH SCHOOL it is in MARANGU - the way to climb mount kilimanjaro.

After form six I scored a very good mark in my final examination and my parent mam and dad were very happy for that but not only that but also many people in the village were happy because I went to school. After my high school studying I tried as much as I can to look for the job to do here in Arusha I got a security job as they believe that maasai are not warring with the wild animals like Lion leopard cheeters and other.

I told the boss of that company I 'm educated so I can do some work that is performed by ellite but he told me that I'm a maasai warrior so he must give me security job in serengeti to make sure that I will protect the clients from the wild animals. I agreed because I was in need of some money which can help me and other to send to my mam and dad to buy food.

I went to seregeti as a security man. I took my spear like the one I have send to my friend Steve and bush knive which is also very big and good. In my stay in serengeti I met a lot of client from different countries in the world normally in the evening when the client come back from the game drive there is a camp fire which is near the mess where the client takes some drinks. There I met a lot of client in serengeti but other were very much interested with me because they need to know a lot about the maasai and it was there first time to see the maasai.

In frebruary 2005 I do'nt remeber the date excatly is the day when I met the kind and good people to me that is Mr Steve Short and Ms Bernie from canada they saw me with my spear and asked me my job here and I told them that I'm a security man taking care of the client during the night I stay out the whole night to make sure that tje lion will not come to disturb the client I did my work perfectly with great success.

When I was with Steve and Bernie I told them many thing about maasai culture and tradition and all they way of life in maasai land and I was asked by Steve and Bernie if I need to go for school but I told them the true that I need to got to school but I do'nt have ability because the money which I was been payed three thousandTSH which is not succefuly my need and school. I asked them if they can sponsor me but they promised me when they go to canada they will find a way to sponsor me they left e-mail address to me and I gave my e-mail address too. after three week I got there e-mail and sure they did fundrising for my studing I was wanted to be a tourguide or safari guide I send them every thing of the college which I wante to join they payed school fees accomodation and they send me money for the matress too.

I Thanns very much Steve Bernie all friend who contributed money for my tourguide school like Fernie friends Ottawa and evenother friend i n UK who found by Steve and Bernie I realy know that Steve and Bernie are the foundation to me for my education myself mam,dad,realtive,friends and maasai communty thanks you for your great support.I continued to study there in tour guide school btu I have applied many college before I get the tour guide school. Mr steve Ms Bernie contributed much in my success in life

THANK YOU VERY MUCH MY FRIENDS.I studed seven month in tourguide school.

There after I got luck to get a college called Community Development Training Institue CDTI -Tengeru which is providing Advanced diploma in community development I was also very interested in that beacsue I wish to help my community who are not step forward for development. I left Tour guide school and I join CDTI-Tengeru my examination result of the first semister I send to Mr Steve and know we are waiting for the second semister result. once I will get them I will send soon to Steve and show him how much I'm make effort in studing example in the first semister result I scored as follwos 1 Communication skill =A

2Gender and Development =A

3.Community Development=A

4.Law=B+ and

5.Economics=A

My parents, friends all relatives were very happy for my result and even my canadian friesnd are happy too I will send the second semester result soon once it will be declered.

I'm intering the second year and next year I will be third year then finishing. in this college I have got the sposor for school fees and accomodation only which is cost six hunderd thousand and fifty every year. but I was looking for sponsorship for stationary and meals I thanks my Canadian friends for sponsored me all the first year for stationary and meals THANKS VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND MY GOD BLESS YOU.

On 10 march 2006 Mr Steve wrote me an e-mail to go to see Mr Fred Geizt and his son Eric who came from the same place they brought me a parsel from Steve and CD which is concerned about their trip to africa and also they brought some clothes for the Kilimanjaro porters. Steve gave Fred some money which I will use to buy the spears which steve will sell for increasing more fund for my studies.

Fred and his son Eric were staying a Lodge called Coffee Plantation lodge is in the main round to moshi. Fred and his son were going to climb mount kilimanjaro, I went to coffee plantation lodge and I'm succeeded to meet Fred and his son and they given me all the thing which given by Steve and they have gone to climb the mountain the next day but we arrange to meet at the lodge on 18th so that I will give them the spears to Steve inorder to sell for supporting me at the college.

I went back to town and the next day I went to maasai land at my village to buy the spears I was succeeded to get the spears and I'm happy that I have given to Fred on the appointement day I met his there and I'm very happy that he and his son succeeded to climb up to the highest peak of mount kilimanjaro I gave him the spears and there I drink a called cocacola and Eric was sleeping we went together to see Eric in there room.

Fred and his son are very good friend to me I appreiciated them and I wish I could see them again. so all this is my story from I was born till the moment but I will have a lot to write to you all. also Steve wrote me that he will show a slide show in september and he will send some of the spears and others he will sell october and send the money to me through western union money transfer.

wishing you a nice reading of story and I shall write the other one next time. but I will be very happy to inform my friend that next week on 18septemer I will travel to Karatu to represent this NGO which I'm volunteering to participate a workshop which is Organized by

PASTORALISTS NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION's FORUM[PINGO'S FORUM]and the issue which will be discussed is that STRATEGIC PLANNING REVESION 2007/2010 CONSULTATIVE WORKSHOP which will take three days.I will e-mail to you all.

Best regards,

Lepapa Ole Nengeliai.