The Esila story – a snapshot

Karuka Primary School sits high atop Mt Suswa, an inactive volcano in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley. In the Maa language Karuka means “higher place”. Suswa means “the wind that moves throughout for a long time”. The scenery looks like its straight from the movie Out of Africa. Mt Suswa is still inhabited by hyena, leopard, a few lion and zebra, along with cobras and pythons.

Most girls in rural Kenya live hardscrabble lives. Imagine living in a community atop Mt Suswa, 90 minutes from the closest tarred road and accessible only by a sturdy 4-wheel drive. News from the world below travels slowly to a community like this. Most Maasai families are too poor to afford a radio and the ongoing cost of batteries. Although a father is likely to have a cell phone, there is poor connectivity on the mountain. There are no shops – only remote homesteads, an apostolic church and the Karuka primary school.

There is an additional isolation – being visually impaired. Naserian, a Grade 6 Maasai student is one of ten children in a school of 209 learners who are visually impaired. Special needs programmes or suitably qualified teachers are non-existent. She walks several kilometres to school and back accompanied by her brothers.

Naserian and her fellow Grade 6 and 7 learners were the recipients of Fenix radio-lights as part of an initiative called Esila, which means ‘for girls’ in the Maa language.

We have two terrific partners in the Esila initiative. One is the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC), the country’s national broadcaster with 14 local language stations in addition to English and Swahili. The other is the Bethel Network, a Kenyan NGO which provides menstrual hygiene products and related education for rural school children.

“I never could imagine to get a radio. I am so happy, I am so happy.”

 
Naserian told our CEO, Kristine Pearson, who was in Kenya to oversee the distribution of the radios and to demonstrate their use and care, that she could now listen to school lessons when she was not in class and to the news every night and be informed. Her large family is extremely poor and there was no radio set at home.

The heartwarming distributions

Karuka was only one of nine Maasai schools and one of 15 schools in total that received the radios and menstrual products. All Grade 6 and 7 students attend the sessions. Teachers identified the most vulnerable girls at each school who would receive radios.

At each school loud and lively KBC radio presenters act as “hosts”. They get the children laughing with interactive games and songs. Then the Bethel nurses talk to the girls and boys about body parts, body changes, menstruation and sexuality in an entertaining, non-threatening way. Menstruation is a taboo topic in most rural households. Girls often stay at home during their periods due to lack of pads or water to wash rags. Being at home during their periods is cited as a major reason why girls are kept back a grade. The nurses demonstrated how to apply sanitary pads (donated by Proctor & Gamble and Lifeline Energy) and underwear. The girls received both pads and underwear, something else many girls do not have. Early marriage and early pregnancy are common in Maasai communities and there is a high drop out after primary school.

Although the children can speak and understand English, the KBC presenters assisted in translating Kristine’s radio demonstrations into a local language or to Swahili. Of the 15 schools visited, only a handful of families had radios at home. No girls were allowed to even touch family radios as these belong to their fathers. The girls were also excited about the lights to do homework and use the toilet (which is outside) at night. Even fewer families have solar lights at home.

In rural communities boys are disadvantaged, too. However, for girls the challenges are far greater. Boys can listen to the radios, as can other family members and neighbours, but they are the responsibility of the girls. No radio is ever “just given away”. The girls sign a contract with their school stating that they are responsible for the radio’s use and care. Teachers and parents/guardians also sign the agreement ensuring that they understand the terms and conditions of the donation as well.