Swahili Tutor

This is a glimpse of my visit to Loitokitok. The students are working on a "right to education" project which affects young Masaai girls who are brought to school and "rescued" from early marriages. That meant we spent a lot of time at schools, and a certain primary school. A short Swahili tutor session was arranged and the primary school students (8th graders) helped us Americans learn some Swahili. The young girl in these videos picked me out of the crowd and was an awesome tutor! She is Maasai and will soon be taking her national exams to determine where she will attend high school--if she can even afford it. While public schools are officially free and subsidized by the government, there are always hidden fees, that roughly amount to $100 that families often cannot pay.

Me and my tutor


She taught me mostly through songs which was brilliant. It was so much fun, and I was able to spend time with her at least 3 other times. She wanted to sing the first song below just to show me and the second song is a common child's Swahili song which is directed to a mother and trying to convince her that my hands will soon be big enough to do work and help her. I might have a new pen pal! My first since at least 10 years :)