Angel's Story
I was born and raised in Tanzania, East Africa, and grew up in a very poor Maasai village, which was very challenging. The Maasai still live very traditionally; in small mud huts with cornstock roofs, no running water, and no electricity. Children begin working around the village at a very young age; herding cattle and goats, walking great distances to find firewood or fetch clean water, cooking and cleaning, and even taking care of babies – which there are a lot of! I have 16 siblings so food was always scarce and we often went without. Most children aren’t fortunate enough to attend school because they are needed to help with the work in the village, and most families just can’t afford it as all schools in Tanzania require fees. Despite all this, I grew up in a very loving family and we were always thankful for what we had.
My father, however, did value education and he always saw the benefit. While he could not afford to send all his children to school, he did select my sister and I to attend a small school in the next village; I was about six at the time. It was too far to walk every day and we could not afford transportation, so my father worked out an arrangement with a Maasai family in that village that would allow my sister and I to live with them in exchange for work. Even though the work was a little excessive, in my opinion, I was so thankful and happy to be attending school The education I received was very basic, at least to American standards, but from my very first day I had a thirst for learning! I was always at the top of my class and always wanted to learn more.
In 2012 my life changed very drastically when I was allowed to move to the US to pursue a better education and life. In 2010 I met an American who had come to my school to volunteer for six months; however, that turned into 14 months. During that time, my family and I got to know him very well and he began helping us with our daily needs and he completely supported my sister and myself. For the first time, we had an extra pair of shoes and extra clothing. During his time he and I formed a very special bond and, according to him, he saw so much potential in me that decided to try to take me to the US to receive a better education. He met with my parents who held a family meeting, really a village meeting, and everyone thought this would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. My parents understood what a rare opportunity this was, not only for me, but for our entire family. So even though this meant leaving my family, my friends and everything I knew, I said yes to the opportunity and began my new adventure.
I arrived to the US in January of 2013. Shortly after arriving, I started school halfway through my 5th grade year. It was very challenging. Not only was I adjusting to the cultural differences, the language, teaching style, and being away from my family, but I was also adjusting to an entirely new world. But despite all these obstacles, I was able to work extra hard and finish my first year with all A’s. Since then, I have maintained a 4.0+ GPA, was a member of my High School’s National Honor Society, earned Summa Cum Laude, and was selected Most Outstanding Senior Graduate. I’ve had to work extremely hard to overcome my educational foundation in Africa, but hard work is part of who I am.
In 2018, I started my non-profit organization called 1 Love, which is dedicated to helping the Maasai people of Tanzania. I love my culture and their dedication to tradition inspires me. 1 Love does not want to relegate that tradition, but rather help them live better lives, easier lives, however, they choose. Growing up in Maasai, I did not understand opportunity, and I certainly had no idea of how much opportunity there is in this world, but now I do. I want to be able to educate the Maasai and provide them with that opportunity that they don’t even know exists. 1 Love wants to break the cycle of poverty and limited opportunity through education and awareness, while at the same time, preserving the beautiful culture and tradition.
1 Love is also focused on making life just a little easier for the Maasai. Life in Tanzania is hard, and the life of a Maasai is that much more challenging. As a young girl, I would have to walk miles each day just to collect firewood and water, help cook and clean, herd goats, or whatever was asked of me, so I understand the challenges. And if 1 Love can make life just a little easier by providing necessities that most of us take for granted, even better!
Today I am a freshman at the University of Colorado – Boulder, studying Media Communications and Information. I haven’t exactly nailed down what I want to do after graduation, but I know I’ll never stop trying to help the Maasai. Since living in the US, I have been officially adopted by my wonderful US father and am now a proud US citizen. I still go home to Tanzania every summer to visit my family and do work for 1 Love. I stay as connected as possible. I’m proud to be both an American and Tanzanian!