As we celebrate Thanks in America

I wanted to share this video that was made after the Utah based organization "World Of Difference" went to Nairobi, Kenya to work on buildings schools and bringing much needed supplies to children in need.

( just double click on image to watch video)

Movies

World of Difference to start a college in Nairobi

Just received news from Peter in Nairobi,Kenya and wanted to share the good news :

"Hello man. how are you doing? Am so glad to inform you that Ranger and Jodi planing to start a college in Nairobi kenya and so Jeremiah and I are working on "feasibilty study" am so GLAD! when we will be through with the research Ranger and Jodi would fly into the country as early as January or even earlier than that. Soooo happy."

This is very exciting news for us as we strongly believe education is the key to improving the lives and health of our friends in Africa's developing countries.

If you would like to support our cause you can either search for Peter's Project in the causes section of Facebook, or go to World of Difference

New pictures from Peter of his Ethiopian homeland

As you view these, we believe you can only feel the beauty and strength of these people, and at the same time you can not help but come to the realization of our dream to help this country reach a goal of better education and health. Thank you for your support of our cause.

A Daasanch singing well

One of the great attraction in daasanch community is a singing well. Not the wells themselves sings but the men who are inside the well this men sing as they draw water for their cattle, in praise of the owners of the well, in praise of those with largest herds of cattle in the neighborhood, they sing to celebrate the live-giving water in an arid desert region. Daasanach well is hewn using simple tools from rocks, dry river beds. They are usually 18 ft to 30 ft deeper. To draw these precious live-giving liguid from the bottom of the well a number of men stand on a wooden ladder fastened with ropes at the different level of rocks walls and pass from man to man is "tuudum" a lether container for drawing water. Several containers are pass back and forth with the most beutiful rhyme. To them this is the inspiring moment and so they sing. Water is poured in a wooden trough from which hundreds of heads of cattle quench their thirst. Daasanach "wazee" elders arrange watering programme, animals are given water according to families and villages. The owners of the wells enjoy a full day for his cattle, he is free to invite his friends. I have compared Daanach girl child education with daasanach well, no body can do it alone. it calls for team work. its easy to notice the person who pours the water in the trough, but not those who strengthen him to pour water in the trough. Everyone has a role to play before task is compeleted. This lives changing work needs many hands, motivation, making awareness to friends to be accomplished, it is not only financial support but concern. Whenever I go home I enjoy this because it teaches me alot! I see love,concern and unity in this well. Friends we have come so far, we have heard and seen alot about things raised in this web site, my question is are we comfortable in this? NO! we must lead a change, we are of world of difference, we need change, we need transformation in this comuninty.

Daasanach Girl Child Education Programme

Latest communication from Peter:


Daasanach Girl Child Education Programme is happily reporting a donation of cloth from Karoline jarr of Colorado U.S.A who is one of the donors to the project and this as been received wioth much joy and appreciation we appeal to everyone out there buys this dream to support the programme in any way posible.thank you.


*Karoline Jarr was a previous participant to go with the non-profit group "World of Difference" to provide support for Education in Africa. She continues her amazing efforts by supporting Peter Akol with donations to our new project. Thank You Karoline!

You can learn more about Karoline thru her blog : The Education of Karoline

Love

Peter returns to homeland while on University holiday

peter recently returned home to be with his sister and sent me this message as well as some pictures he wanted to share. They were scanned in, and thus are small ( I can not figure out how to enlarge them without diminishing the quality of the pictures, but wanted to post them anyway.



here is his latest e-mail :



Hello scott.
Am safe and back to school how are you doing? I was very happy to have your communication on holiday. I can't wait to see you next year scott. You have always kept my head up with encouragement.
Everyone at home is good, my sister is good also but remained crying after me when I was traveling to Nairobi she really wanted me to bring her to Nairobi but I had no otherwise.post the pictures on the site and have that of the Kids on the front page.
thank you.peter

the power of ONE

Please check out this website organization that is raising awareness of needs in Ethiopia, Kenya, and other African countries in need....

One

Right of Passage

These pictures are of Peter's circumsion from when he was very young. We want everyone to be aware of the fact that the daasanach people had (and still have) a lack of medication, and thus the risk of HIV and other health concern's to people during this procedure is very high...

Your support of this website is very much appreciated. We hope to one day to change, thru education, current practices that are affecting the health of these people.

Education and Health

Education and Health
"Education and health are the pre-requisites for almost every facet of human development; without them women and indeed human beings in general, can not enjoy or appreciate the value of the other entitlements. Without education, it is difficult for women to gain information about their fundamental rights and entitlements and where they are informed, illiteracy hinders them comprehending the texts and notions involved. Education is also closely linked to health, to fertility rates and once again the data reveal the fact that only in countries with high female adult literacy rates are women able to control their fertility and hence to influence infant, under 5 and maternal mortality rates.
The percentage of the school-going population currently in school is a good indicator of the country's planning for the present and future. Ideally every country should aim at achieving 100 per cent enrolment and attendance but this is far from the case in a good number of African countries. Low enrolment rates lead to high adult illiteracy rates and to general under-development of the country. Similarly, distribution of school enrolment by sex enables one to see the efforts governments and parents are making to reduce gender gaps in the classrooms. Whereas at the beginning of the primary school cycle there is usually a high percentage of girls, this goes down the higher one goes up the education ladder such that by the end of the secondary school cycle and in the third level/tertiary level, the percentage of girls/women will be very low in many countries. The importance of these data is that they explain the absence of female cadres and the placement of women at the bottom of the hierarchy in almost all the sectors, including political and economic decision-making and in the professional and technical sectors. "

For the complete article, here is the link :

• Status of Women in Africa
  
  

Education-service and others

Latest e-mail from Peter :

Girls and young women in pastoral communities in Africa are the most disadvantaged social group in the world today. Without an education, girls are likely to be trapped in the a cycle of poverty. by sending girls to school, sets a path to self-reliance so they can improve their own lives their families and community. Daasanach girl child program will work to break the cycle of poverty and bad culture practices by educating girls in the community and investing in economic and leadership opportunity for young women. The benefit of educating girls reverberate through their communities. The women who Will be educated by daasanach girl child education program will definitely go on to fund the education of the next generation. Women (girls) contribute to the local economy as successful entrepreneurs and they will develop the confidence and skill to be leaders of change of the communities and countries.

Tribal life - Getting Water

Here are some pictures Peter took of his Ethiopian homeland. Beautiful

The little boy in red shirt is in his mother's (Daasanach house) waiting his mother to come with milk so that he can start the day.above him are milk guards.

In the well is a daasanach girl fetching water for her family, in daasanach land there is no pipe water so community really faces a very big challege on water part, during dry season wells sometimes drys. Water taken from wells has no different with tea of milk (water is yellow in colour) dirty. Water taken from well really bears a great risk to the commuinty, wells are shallow in depth so even wild animals takes thesame water during night time hence causing disease to the community.construction of taps will really assist in this

Donkeys are used as a means of transport in daasanach community, they are use to fetch water as you said, used to transport house material from one place to another during migration since the community is a pastrolic community so they are to move from one place to another in search of water and pastures.

Priceless....

Kids playing in the sand are boys and girls, they are not in school because of many reason I explain in the proposal, one being the distance of the only primary school available from the stock camps, lack of food in school to keep them surviving, lack of parental supervison if send to school. Due to all this kids end up lossing there education. construction of boarding school will assist in this.

Peter with his tribe at the well (He is in the light blue shirt)

As you can see, our support is needed for this proud, beautiful culture.

Peter’s response to Dori’s ( and others) questions…

I have always believed and had a passion to see the girls of my community educated; this is since I realized the influence that they would have in eradicating poverty in our community if they were educated. A wise man once said that behind every successful man is a tired and hardworking woman. Non - Educated girls are married at a tender young age when they do not have knowledge of even what marriage entails; this is a huge contrast when we realize that in African culture it is the women (girls) who establish a home. Girl child education in my community is the key not only to eradicating poverty but to bringing development which is needed within my society. This is because in my society, women (girls) are the one who perform major roles such as: building the house, milking animals, farming, nurturing the children and hence become lay-teachers (untrained teachers) for the children in the society as they grow up, hence if this girls are educated, they can highly influence the mental growth and maturity of the child in helping them not only to become aware of the environmental factors but also of empowering them to desire to be change agents in the making. Also as we had seen earlier, girls have a lot of influence and in my culture they have a greater chance of influencing their husbands, brothers and even sons if only they were educated. I believe and am convince that education is the only empowerment that our girls’ needs that will help them have a cutting edge in our community and will give them the boldness and the courage that they need to influence and facilitate economic and social changes in my community.
Currently, when I look at the few educated girls in my society they are aware and familiar with family planning and family health policies hence you find that they have fewer and healthier children and they are also better able to care for their family and children unlike the uneducated village girls married at teenage.
"Educating girls in my community is in actual sense educating the whole community" since the educated women are able to influence their families to take their children to school. It’s by this very reason that I want to take front line in this campaign of girl child education in my community by first having my own sister as an example to be followed as I campaign for girl child education in the community.
Concerning my sister; it is difficult for her to be educated near our home. Though in our area there is one primary school, she can not be able to study in peace since she has reached the age where girls are to be given out in marriage to others. My uncle, who has been taking care of her has always been threatening to give her out in exchange of the dowry which will enrich him, this has actually made me and him to always be at loggerheads for I can not allow my small sister to be married at age ten, to someone she does not love, but who seeks to abuse and misuse her as an item and not as a person. Hence I believe it would be better to have her begin her initial stages of education near where I am so that I can be able to protect and assist her achieve this objective. In order for this to be a reality, I would require the following; school tuition, books, boarding charges and transport to and from home every holiday break assistance I would be in a better position to voice out girl child education. Your assistance will be highly appreciated and at least it will be one step in seeing this great vision of girl child education fulfilled and it will be a great example that will encourage the community; mostly the girls who are familiar with my sister’s situation back at home, that all things are possible.
How to influence the community of girl child Education:
1. Creating awareness of usefulness of girl child education to the men by proving to them the importance, benefit and advantages of them having their wives and sisters educated.
2. Provision of boarding facilities to the school (food, books, and uniforms).
3. Carrying public campaigns of girl child education headed by educated women addressing the girls in them community on the need and importance of education.

BUDGET FOR DASANACH GIRL CHILD EDUCATION

Land:

The project will require 20 acres of land

Class rooms:
The first phase of the project will be four (4) classrooms; standard one to standard four.
Water :
थिस is a semi arid area and water is one of the biggest problems. Therefore, we need to drill bore holes for construction of classes and for human consumption. We also need to have a pumping machine to pump water.
Toilet/ Bathrooms :
We intend to build four toilets and bathrooms for students as well as four bathrooms and toilets for teachers and staffs.
Electricity :
A solar panel installation is the most suitable for power supply since the area is dry and sunny throughout.
Dormitory :
To begin with, we need to have a dormitory which will hold forty girls. Therefore the following equipments are needed; forty beds and mattresses, beddings and basins.

Dining hall/ Kitchen :
We need a kitchen and a dinning hall for students. This should contain tables and chairs.
A Staff room :
A staff रूम for the teachers is of paramount important; seats, tables, cupboards and books will be put in it.
Labor
This entails wages for casual laborers, the constructor supervisor and Assistant manager and finally Manager.
Transport
Transportation of construction materials from Nairobi to Illeret (Where the project is), this is because quite a number of needed materials can only be found in Nairobi and not Marsabit the nearest town. It will also include the cost of transport for the trips made from Nairobi to illeret occasionally in supervision of the project.
GRAND BUDGET
Land 20 Acres @ 25,000.00 = 500,000.00. (approx. $6,510 US Dollars)
Transport a) construction materials
(From Nairobi to illeret; 980 km) 720,000.00. (approx. $9,375 US Dollars)
b) Transport from Nairobi to illeret in supervision of the project.
6 trips per year by Air 480,000.00. (approx. $6,250 US Dollars)
(It will be convenience for me as a student because land
Transport would take several days. The rest of trips will
Be on road during vacation) Road transport for two at Ksh
10,000 @ per trip. Per 6 trips in a year. 120,000.00. (approx. $1,652.50 US Dollars)

Labour: Casual labour.

15 casual laborers @ 200 each per day 24 days a month which total

864,000.00. per year (approx. $11,250 US Dollars)

10 o'clock tea and lunch per year 500,000.00. (approx $6,510 US Dollars)
(There is food scarcity and therefore they need some food in order to motivate them to work hard)
Manager Ksh. 60,000.00 per month, per year @ 720,000.00. (approx. $9,375 US Dollars)
Ass. Manager Ksh 50,000.00. Per month, per year @ 600,000.00 (approx. $7,812.50 US Dollars)
Supervisor Ksh. 40,000.000 per month and per year @480,000.00. (approx. $6.250 US Dollars)

Construction: 4 class rooms 240,000.00. (approx. $3,125 US Dollars)

8 toilets 400,000.00. (approx. $5,208 US Dollars)

10 bathrooms 200,000.00 (approx. $2,604 US Dollars)

4 tanks 200,000.00 (approx. $2,604 US Dollars)

Dinning hall 600,000.00. (approx. $7,812.50 US Dollars)

Dormitory 1,000,000.00. (approx. $13,000 US Dollars)

Kitchen 1,000,000.00 (approx. $13,000 US Dollars)

Staff rooms 300,000.00 (approx. $3,906 US Dollars)

Constructor 3,800,000.00 (approx. $49,479 US Dollars)

TOTAL 9,000,000.00 (approx. $117,187 US Dollars)
Generator 60,000.00 (approx. $781 US Dollars)
Drilling water 1,000,000.00 (approx. $13,020 US Dollars)
Piping water 150,000.00 (approx. $1,953 US Dollars)
Solar installation 200,000.00 (approx. $2,604 US Dollars)
Miscellaneous 1,000,000.00 (approx. $13,020 US Dollars)

Newest e-mail from Peter concerning unsafe practices leading to HIV/AIDS

Scott : Please try to mention the issue of shearing of one circumcision knife during girl circumcision ceremony. The daasanach belief the sharing of knife is a sign of unity among the clan members which is a very big risk of contracting diseases like HIV/ADS.

Daasanach have eight clans namely: Turnyerim, fargaro, tuurat, eedhe, gaalbur which is my clan, illi,muurle. during circumcision ceremony men or girls are circumcised according to the clans irrespective of their age difference or marital status, one knife is used to circumcise all member of a clan. knife shearing is a sign of unity among the clan members. All the initiate are taken as age state after circumcision.
Daasanach as no specific age limit for circumcision that's remains village chosen elders responsibility to decide whether circumcisions is to be carried on or not. A circumcised person is recognized is sign of a membership in the community. Both boys and girls are issued with new responsibility in the community after circumsion.
Daasanach can not perform 'Diimi' ceremony unless the parent of a girl are willing to circumcise their after "Diimi" ceremony and remain a community member. Diimi ceremony is MUST to all daasanach members. its passage of rite. After ceremony.
thank you I would continue sending you other information.
peter.

THE STRUGGLES OF THE DAASANACH GIRL

THE STRUGGLES OF THE DAASANACH GIRL
1) FGM ( Female Genital Mutilation)
The female genital mutilation is a culture widely practiced among Africa communities, the Daasanach included. Here in Kenya, the Government assisted by a number of Non-governmental organizations has been working hard to eliminate the practice to some extent. Initially, it was the women who only voiced their concerns of the evil brought to young girls by this practice. Consequently, they faced a lot of opposition from their male counterparts, since its a male dominated community. The men claimed that by the elimination of FGM, their culture was being eradicated hence FGM must be preserved. The women sensitized their colleagues who were in the government especially those from their community to rise up and protest against this practice for they understood better the pain, heartache and other dangers involved in this practice. In response, they also sensitized the government and other officials involved who assisted them to fight against this practice and until today this war still continues. But I lament however, concerning my community the Daasanach people; for they have no source of assistance against this despicable practice (neither from the government nor from the NGO’s).
A . THE REASON WHY THE DAASANACH VALUE THIS PRACTICE:
They believe that if a girl has her first menstruation flow without undergoing the ‘cut’, will bring such humongous shame to her father and uncles that it is believed that they will eventually die. Hence, to avoid their death, the painful ‘cut’ has to be done on the innocent girls. (These innocent girls become a scapegoat of a certain myth within the community, which should not be).
A girl who is not ‘cut’ is considered as an outcast and hence is not liable for marriage by any man hence no man in the community would want her for marriage due to fear that they will inherit a misfortune. A ceremony known as ‘Diimi’ is conducted to every girl child who is about to go through the ‘cut’ and immediately after that ceremony, the parents give her out for marriage.
B. RISKS INVOLVED IN THE PRACTICE
Tools: The tools used for ‘cutting’ are too primitive; usually blunt kitchen knives. This makes the pain of the ‘cut’ unbearable and the bleeding excessive, also this causes serious damages to the girl’s genitals, hence bringing complications for the girl during birth or even death due to excessive bleeding.
Risk of contracting diseases The same unsterilized knife is used on all the girls undergoing the ‘cut’. This is very catastrophic since the girls can end up contracting diseases such as HIV, STD’s and many other diseases. Also we need to bear in mind that this ladies do not undergo proper treatment after the ‘cut’ due to lack of medical facilities hence are at risk of contaminations that may lead to death.
Healing process: The healing of the wounds is yet another torture in itself. The girl is made to ware a softened skin-like cloth and her legs attached tightly with a strip of leather around the thigh to make the victim make small strides. This tying of the leather strip around the thigh is done in such away that no air is allowed to circulate around the wound in order to facilitate the healing process, hence making the agony of healing prolonged and excruciating.
2) CULTURE OF THE COMMUNITY:
Early marriages.
This is normally done at the age of 13. The girl has no choice on the time or the person to marry. In the community, the obligation is restricted to the parents and uncles. This marriage custom is such that the parents are not permitted to give their daughter’s hand in marriage unless the uncles (who do not even care about the girl but are only concerned about the wealth that will be derived from the exchange) consent. Consequently, even an old wealthy person who can afford the dowry can marry the girl as even the fifth or even the tenth wife. In our culture; dowry is not a token of appreciation, but the buying price of the girl.
Heavy household duties
In the community, it’s the responsibility of the women to build, furnish and provide for the house. It is also their obligation to take care of all the family needs which includes food and other obligations which were designed to be done by men like in construction, fetching firewood and even herding.
No regard for women
In our community, it is believed that women are there to be seen and not to be heard. Our culture dictates that the role of a woman is that of a ‘wealth gatherer’ hence, once a girl is born, the father immediately commences to calculate the specific number of livestock he will obtain in exchange of her. The life cycle of a girl revolves around three areas; to be born, get married and bear children, end of use. Education for the girl is regarded as a waste of money that is not in line with their original purpose.
WAYS OUT (SOLUTION)
Civil Education: I would like to sensitize the community about gender balance and the need to view girls as equals rather than subordinates. This is one area that we need to embark upon seriously.
Education for girls: We will need also to sensitize the community of the usefulness of girl child education and its benefits in the society. This will necessitate the construction of schools or implementation of simple educational facilities such as classrooms, black boards, books, pens, pencils and mathematical equipments for a start.
Medical facilities: This will require implementation of simple medical assistance such as malarial tablets, antibiotics, anti-bacteria’s, First Aid kit and vetennary services because of the livestock involved for my people depend more on livestock as an occupation and a source of livelihood.
Bore-Holes- This will help my people to settle in specific places hence limiting their movement. This is because the reason why my people opt to migrate is because they go in search of pastures and water sources. Therefore if we had a permanent water source we will not have to move. This can also facilitate irrigation, farming and we can now even have time to develop ourselves and interact with other cultures and may be in the process we may improve our cultural practices and may embrace the modern culture. This will make it even easy for me to monitor their movements because even now when I want to go home from school, I will have to search for where they have settled.

PROFILE OF ILLERET AND DAASANACH COMMUNITY

PROFILE OF ILLERET AND DAASANACH COMMUNITY
The population of Illeret location is estimated to be between 7000-8000 inhabitants, the majority of whom are Daasanach. The Daasanach are semi-nomadic and straddle the boarder of Kenya and Ethiopia. The Borana, Gabbra, Rendille, Samburu, and Elmolo tribes inhabit area to the east, the Hammar and Arbore inhabit an area to the north in Ethiopia, and the Turkana inhabit the region west of Lake Turkana. Illeret area is semi-arid and is sparsely populated. Most of the existing is found in Illeret village and Telesguy to the north. The rest of the people are mobile pastoralists tending goats, sheep, cattle and donkeys in the Illeret region. A small section of community practice subsistence fishing along the eastern shore of Lake Turkana. The entire Lake shore is made up of scenic natural beaches.
The area chief and his assistance, the councilor, local elders, contingency of security officers, teachers and church leaders effect the administration of the area. The chief and security officers are answerable to the district commissioner, security and administrative officers at the district headquarters, some 600km from Illeret village,

SIBILOI NATIONAL PARK.
To the southern of Illeret is Sibiloi National Park, which was created in 1973, to preserve the unique flora and fauna of the area to preserve world-renowned fossil site. The united Nation Education, social and cultural organization (UNESCO) declared this National Park a world heritage. The management of protected area falls under the Kenya Wildlife service (KWS)

MAJOR INSTITUTION OPERATING IN THE AREA

a) Religions: African inland church, Catholic Church, Islam, Bible translation and literacy.
b) Government of Kenya: Kenya Police, General Service and Kenya Wildlife service.
c) Secular NGO’s VSF-Germany, Turkana Basin Institution, National Museum of Kenya.
d) Illeret primary school, Illeret health center
e) Kenya Airport authority has large airport in Illeret.

TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION.

Illeret is a remote outpost on the Eastern shore of Lake Turkana, on the northern boundary of Sibiloi National Park, 17km from Kenya and Ethiopia boarder The nearest district town and headquarter is Marsabit, which is same 600km a way from Illeret. Poor roads, lack of transport and communication, distance from the main trading and administration center, have been a disadvantage to the community.

EDUCATION
The Catholic Mission of north-horr introduced formal education in the area in the early 70’s. The Mission constructed two classrooms, standards 1 and 2. And additional two classes were built at Illeret with fund raised by Leakey Family. In 2006 The are Member of Parliament (the late Dr .Godan Athi) approached community Development Trust Fund (CDTF) of Britain and sought funding for four more classrooms, staff quarters, two water tanks, a dormitory and the toilet. CDTF agreed to find the project and as result Illeret has now a complete primary school running from grade 1-8.
Illeret primary school now enrolls some two hundred pupils, of between 5-15 years of age. But this figure fluctuated from time to time. Critical problem facing the school is lack of teachers. There are 5 teachers trained and paid by the government, one whom is a school head teacher the rest are volunteers. Teachers who are mostly high school graduate from the community assist the school for a while and leave to look for employment opportunity in other areas.

THE COMMUNITY RESPONSE TO FORMAL EDUCATION.
With an increase understanding of education, more parents are inclined to send the children to school, girls included. This is especially true to the people who live near Illeret village. But those who live far away with their animals in stock camps are resistance to send their children to school. The school provides food to the children which in past has acted as incentive to parents to send their children to school.

CULTURAL ACTIVITIES
The Daasanach are so much attached to their culture. There are elaborated annual ceremonies like Diimi,’guol, bull slaughter, circumcision, ritual blessings carried by the elders on the youth, naming of age sate, to mention just few of the known ones. Marriage is polygamous although men can opt to marry just single wife depending on the stock wealth. Respect for the elderly is highly cultural value; pre-marital sex is highly prohibited for the youth. Cattle are at the core of Daasanach value rituals.

WHY DAASANACH DON’T PREFER TO SEND THEIR GIRLS TO SCHOOL
a) Boys are preferred for education because they can inherit family; girls don’t.
b) Girls play important domestic roles because they assist their parent in domestic work, e.g. fetching water and firewood, milking animals, helping with cooking house-cleaning and baby sitting.
c) Girls are married off early and fetch big domestic for the parent relative in form of cattle and other material goods. Sending them to school is seen as economically viable since book knowledge does not bring livestock into the family.
d) The “cut” (female genital mutilation) this is a common practice in the community and discourages young girls from being sent to school. After FGM girls generally stay at home to wait to be married off to chosen husbands.
e) Semi-nomadic: The seasonal migration of the community in search of water and grass for their animals implies that parents cannot leave behind their children; they need their help when they settle in new camps.
f) Certain negative behaviors coming out of modern town habit like drinking, prostitution, teenage pregnancies, disrespect for the community values,et.c discourages parents to expose their children to town environment since they are afraid to loose them. Hence the reluctance to send girls to school.
g) Distance from the main primary school and stock camps.
This is often, very far and children cannot walk or foot entire days and back a gain to their camps. They prefer to stay with parents.
h) There is lack of boarding facilities and good caretakers at Illeret primary school. So to send a child there is to cause suffer and more problems.
i) The “Dimi” ceremony: This is an important ceremony in the community where all girls are expected to attend for a lengthen period of time so it is very difficult for girls to attend school and stay there where this ceremony is being pertained.
j) Other barriers and constraints include drought, famine and excessive flooding of the Omo River.


MAIN CHALLENGES FACING THE COMMUNITY.
a) Risk of HIV/AIDS
b) Drinking and alcoholism
c) Cultural erosion
d) Damming of the Omo River by the Ethiopian government. This may lead to the drying up of the Lake Turkana and delta which is key to the survival of the Daasanach and their animal.

My Sister

This is Peter's sister. She is currently about 10 years old. Peter's parents have passed away, and he is currently a University student in Nairobi, Kenya. His sister is currently in Ethiopia living with Peter's uncle. According to current custom's, his Uncle is waiting for his sister's dowry, but Peter's cause is to get his sister to Kenya with him, so that she can pursue an education for herself.