The Butterfly Project
December 2012
If You Educate a Girl…
For girls in East Africa, education is often a luxury. Unlike in the western world, the hope of attending college for girls is next to impossible. While we begin saving for our children’s education as soon as they are born, using income for education of daughters in East Africa is considered a waste of money. This obstacle eliminates a girl’s chance for a college education, and ultimately, a better life. Girls often do not have the support of their community, peers, and their parents. The Butterfly Project has stepped in to fill this gap, providing financial and moral support to these determined young women. The Butterfly Project hopes to illuminate a path for all girls to receive an equal opportunity to earn a life-changing education.
Let me introduce you to two young and extraordinarily bright Maasai women, Georgina and Sialo. They embody the type of leaders that the Butterfly Project supports.
At the age of 14, Georgina was proud to learn that she had achieved an outstanding score on the high school entrance exam. Shortly after receiving this good news however, Georgina’s father demanded she marry an older man in the village and undergo female circumcision. Not wanting to consent to her father’s demands, Georgina ran away from home, and with the help of her mother and brother, (Emmanuel Tasur of Namunyak Maasai Welfare) was able to complete her secondary school education. While fortunate to have her family’s support, Georgina found herself at an impasse at the end of her studies – she had no hope of procuring the necessary funds that would allow her to attend college and earn the degree that would fulfill her dreams of becoming a skilled teacher.
Sialo was raised in a polygamist family with 12 siblings. While she distinguished herself at a young age with high national exam scores, she knew that her family’s financial resources would only support the education of her brothers. At the age of 13 she chose to bypass the high school entrance exam and sit for the more rigorous college examinations. It didn’t surprise anyone who knew her when she passed the exam. Unfortunately, it was also not a surprise when her family told her they didn’t have the money to support her.
Too many promising Kenyan women find themselves in the positions of Georgina and Sialo. They are denied the opportunity to reach their potential because cultural norms and limited resources dictate that only boys are worthy of an education. The Butterfly Scholarship program funds the college education of extraordinary women like Georgina and Sialo: Georgina now teaches at the Sirua Aulo Academy and Sialo is a practicing nurse. Even more important than the profound impact these women make through their work is the example they set for the girls who look up to them. When a young woman surpasses expectations, the ripple effect is felt throughout the community and the outcome resonates long after, bringing hope to others.
“It is still a great problem for a girl to be educated in the village. Most parents believe that it is a waste to educate a girl because they feel that girls never aspire to higher levels. When I stand out as a qualified professional lady through my school, no parent will still be willing to keep their daughters at home. They will make sure girls are taken to school.” Nancy Alambo, Kunya Village – Butterfly Project Scholarship recipient – Haydom School of Nursing, 2012
The Butterfly Project awards college scholarships for girls committed to serving their rural communities through education and nursing, two high profile professions in villages. To receive a scholarship, the applicants are asked how they would give back to their community – their answers are touching and the girls inspiring.
With many promising Butterfly Project scholarship applicants, we ask that you join us in helping to educate women leaders of tomorrow. Without your help, they have little hope to attend college and become role models for young girls in their villages.
It only costs $1,200 – $2,000 per year to educate a young woman for three years. To learn more about the Butterfly Project or how you, your family, workplace, place of worship, or social club can sponsor a promising young woman, contact us for more information. Any amount helps us reach our goal. Donate to the Butterfly Project.
In supporting girls you will be changing lives for generations to come.