Our partnership with Pastoral Women’s Council

In 2006, a council of Maasai elders in Loliondo, Tanzania, appointed Pastoral Women’s Council (PWC) to manage a community school called Emanyata Secondary School (ESS). ESS is located in the village of Ololosokwan, bordering the Serengeti National Park. As a community, non-state run school, ESS has the freedom to admit more typically disadvantaged students, many of whom have not been accepted to local government schools. Historically, ESS was funded by eight villages east of Serengeti National Park. These villages generated considerable income from entering into direct contracts with tourism companies. Over 30% of these revenues were used for sponsoring children from these villages, with most of these children sent to ESS. In 2008 the government changed tourism regulations and all tourist companies were directed to pay the revenue directly to the National Treasury. This led to lots of children dropping out of private school, while some joined government schools where the education standards are lower. This problem was exacerbated by a drought which hit the region in 2009. Since then the community has been unable to provide regular funding to ESS.

In response to the above challenges, One Day’s Wages partnered with Pastoral Women’s Council to fund 20 modern beehives that were hung around the acacia tree forest surrounding ESS, along with honey processing equipment. Additionally, PWC installed a drip irrigation system in the school garden. The drip feed irrigation system managed to provide fresh vegetables directly to 352 people at the school, and to an additional 120 villagers around the school at an affordable price. The drip feed irrigation ensured constant availability of food, and thus ensured food security to the students at the school. Additionally, vegetable and honey sales have provided income to school finances. A total of seven people were trained on irrigation and beehive maintenance to ensure the sustainability of the project.