ecoVillage Archives | Maasai Girls Rescue Center

portrait of Coco, MGRC cultural center guide

Preserving tradition: Welcoming our new Maasai Cultural Guide

November 15, 2024 Community and Culture, ecoVillage, Maasai Culture

We’re excited to announce a special addition to our community: a talented Maasai bead maker and cultural language teacher! Affectionately known as “Coco,” or grandmother, will play an important role in our newly established Maasai Cultural Center, a significant addition to our ecoLodge. This exciting project is designed to provide…...

MGRC ecolodge and villas with the sun setting over the valley

Building a future beyond handouts: The MGRC ecoLodge progress and vision

November 2, 2024 ecoVillage, Education and Sustainability, Maasai Girls, Sustainability

As we approach the holiday season, we’re excited to share the progress of the MGRC ecoLodge project—a project that represents not just a facility but a powerful, sustainable future for the MGRC and the community. This eco-friendly lodging, designed with sustainable architecture and permaculture design principles, aims to be a…...

Suzana and Esupat practicing for a cultural event.

Bridging Maasai tradition and tomorrow

August 3, 2024 Community and Culture, ecoVillage, Maasai Culture, Maasai Girls

The mission of MGRC is to rescue and transform the lives of at-risk Maasai girls. There are real problems for girls in Maasai communities such as forced marriage, FGM and extreme poverty. But there are beautiful and important aspects of our girls’ heritage that we don’t want them to lose…...

Meet the newest team members at MGRC ecoVillage

May 30, 2024 ecoVillage, Growth and Reflection

MGRC was founded by one person with a vision but has since grown with the support of generous contributors, sponsors, and local residents. The organization has formed strong connections with the community and talented individuals from Tanzania who share its principles. Today, the entire MGRC enterprise is managed by these…...

Yeyolai and Nemoipo in graduation caps and gowns

Celebrating the milestones in the lives of our new residents and recent graduates

May 30, 2024 ecoVillage, Education and Sustainability, Journal Entries, Maasai Girls

In the heart of Maasai land, where challenges are as vast as the plains, MGRC stands as a beacon of hope for at-risk girls. Faced with the threat of child marriage, female genital mutilation (FGM), and limited educational opportunities, these young women often find their futures uncertain. MGRC provides a…...

A group picture of the girls on Easter morning

Maasai Girls’ ecoVillage Update: Catching Up on the Last 4 Months

May 4, 2024 ecoVillage, Growth and Reflection, Journal Entries, Maasai Girls

Journal Entry by Rick Morro This year has been flying by and there are so many things to catch up on. Here’s what’s been happening the last 4 months. Community celebration At the very end of December, we held our annual community celebration. It was a wonderful time to share…...

Yeyolai and Nemoipo dressed for vocational college in Karatu

Celebrating the success of our first two graduates

April 15, 2024 ecoVillage, Education, Education and Sustainability, Maasai Girls

We have entered a new phase of life at MGRC, in that we now have girls who have left the nest and begun their careers. It is the culmination of our mission at MGRC. It is a joy to know that we gave them the tools they needed to spread…...

Hugh and his wife visiting MGRC in Tanzania

God’s Invisible Hand at Work

March 14, 2024 Community and Culture, ecoFarm, ecoVillage, Maasai Girls

Written by: Mary Flieller Hugh IIlsley, former business executive and founder of Identity Sports is a generous and long-time supporter of Maasai Girls Rescue Center. Identity Sports is a Christian Outreach Ministry dedicated to impacting lives by sharing inspirational stories from professional athletes who have found their true identities in…...

2023 Year in Review, Part Two: Education and Development

February 19, 2024 ecoVillage, Education, Growth and Reflection, Maasai Girls

In our last post we talked about how 2023 brought the huge blessing of completing and moving to our new location. There is something special about finally being home and we are delighted to report that the girls are doing exceptionally well! We remain committed to our goal of equipping…...

2023 Year in Review Part One: Our New Home

February 8, 2024 ecoVillage, Growth and Reflection

We couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe and gratitude for all that we have achieved together. Your unwavering support gave the girls of MGRC their best year yet! And so we want to take a moment to reflect on all of the amazing things that happened in 2023.…...

MGRC interns learning how to prepare and cook meals for the future ecolodge.

How the MGRC ecoLodge supports the growth and well-being of Maasai girls

December 6, 2023 ecoVillage, Education, Education and Sustainability, Maasai Girls, Sustainability

A successful ecoLodge is not only essential for the financial stability of the girls currently residing at MGRC, but it also guarantees that MGRC can continue to support a greater number of girls in the future. However, in addition to financial security, a thriving ecoLodge will have numerous other positive…...

Our Incredible Experience at MGRC

December 1, 2023 Community and Culture, ecoVillage, Guest Posts, Maasai Girls

Guest post by: Judy and Dave Clouse Recently, we had the incredible opportunity to visit Maasai Girls Rescue Center in Tanzania, an organization we have been supporting for over four years. We’re originally from Wisconsin but retired to Arizona where one of our passions is actively volunteering at our church.…...

Life-changing trip reveals sustainable practices creating a brighter future

November 17, 2023 ecoVillage, Growth and Reflection, Guest Posts

Guest post by: Greg Scheu I just returned from a life-changing trip to Tanzania. This wasn’t my first trip to Africa. I had visited in past years, both with my previous multi-national employer, and with the U.S. Federal Government on U.S. to Africa trade missions. I had seen the beauty…...

Recognized for sustainable strategy with individual focus for girls’ future

October 17, 2023 ecoVillage, Education and Sustainability, Maasai Girls, Sustainability

Word is out in Tanzania about MGRC. We are being recognized for our unique sustainable strategy, and keen individual focus for each of our girls’ future. Our innovative social enterprise business model is setting an example for other social enterprises to follow in achieving sustainable social impact. A model for…...

MGRC girls sitting outside their new home with their house mothers

ecoVillage update: Maasai girls settle into their new homes

October 14, 2023 ecoVillage, Growth and Reflection, Journal Entries, Maasai Girls

The girls have now moved into their new homes! The journey hasn’t been easy, but the joy of the girls makes it all worth it. Back in July 2022, we were informed that we had to leave the hotel we were occupying by January 2023, which was a much shorter…...

six girls sitting in front of their birthday cakes

The importance of birthdays at MGRC

July 15, 2023 ecoVillage, Growth and Reflection, Journal Entries, Maasai Girls

Most of the girls who come to MGRC have no knowledge of their birth dates. They don’t have birth certificates and have never had the chance to celebrate their birthdays. A lot of them were born in their bomas, enduring the tough conditions in which they entered the world. To…...

Saying goodbye to water shortages with new clean water system

July 1, 2023 ecoFarm, ecoVillage, Education and Sustainability, Sustainability

Having access to water is something we all take for granted. You turn on the tap and you expect water to come out: cold water, hot water, clean water....

Press Release: Rescuing, Empowering, and Building a Sustainable Future for Abused and Abandoned Girls

June 10, 2023 ecoVillage, Education and Sustainability, Sustainability

The Maasai Girls Rescue Center is proud to share its remarkable achievements in rescuing and developing over 60 abused and abandoned girls from the Maasai community....

Happy Spring!

April 8, 2023 ecoVillage, Growth and Reflection, Journal Entries

It is a season of change, and here at MGRC we are seeing great change, as well. Though we are not yet where we want to be, we are better than where we were. Life here is rarely linear, but often a series of two steps forward and one step…...

2022 in review

March 16, 2023 ecoFarm, ecoVillage, Growth and Reflection, Sustainability

The girls’ health and well-being is the best measure of our success at Maasai Girls Rescue Center. And by this standard, we had an awesome in year! The girls continue to thrive and surprise us in wonderful ways. That said, we faced several unanticipated challenges and disappointments in 2022; but with…...

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year

January 2, 2023 ecoVillage, Growth and Reflection, Journal Entries

The girls had a great Christmas and are enjoying their winter break! We hosted a Christmas celebration that was attended by the local government officials, neighbors, our staff and, of course, our girls....

Have Tractor Will Travel

December 6, 2022 Community and Culture, ecoVillage, Guest Posts, Volunteering

One of my earliest memories of Christmas was the year my big sister and I received a pedal tractor. In my mind, receiving a pedal tractor was THE best gift ever! It was a shiny red and it looked just like my Dad’s Farmall....

Life in Tanzania is never dull

November 18, 2022 ecoFarm, ecoVillage, Growth and Reflection, Journal Entries, Sustainability

Life in Tanzania is never dull, but some times are harder than others. Currently Northern Tanzania is in a serious drought. Our electricity comes from a hydro dam and the water level has been very low this year....

Catching up with the MGRC girls

September 9, 2022 Community and Culture, ecoVillage, Guest Posts, Maasai Culture

Time is moving quickly in Tanzania, and somehow two months have passed since my last journal entry! But so many great things are happening here that I'm excited to tell you about....

Momoi (center holding microphone) was able to use her language skills to translate her friends' testimonies at the Community Celebration. She speaks Maa, Swahili and English.

Impact comes from action

July 17, 2022 ecoVillage, Education and Sustainability, Growth and Reflection, Sustainability

Life in Africa, much like the rest of the world, is beginning to return to “normal” post pandemic. Tourism is on the rise and hotels in Karatu are filling up....

An entrepreneurial approach transforming African aid

July 2, 2022 Community and Culture, ecoFarm, ecoVillage, Maasai Culture, Sustainability

Generous people around the world (with the U.S. being the largest donor) provide billions in aid to countries and causes in Sub-Saharan Africa. Much of that aid fails to effectively address long-term problems, and in many cases creates negative unintended consequences....

New career center expands options for MGRC girls’ future

June 15, 2022 Community and Culture, ecoVillage, Education, Education and Sustainability, Maasai Culture, Sustainability

If you ever wondered how much a life can be transformed with loving intervention by caring strangers, consider the remarkable journey of Momoi....

Challenges are what make life interesting

May 20, 2022 ecoFarm, ecoVillage, Growth and Reflection, Journal Entries, Maasai Culture

I am thrilled to share with you that the security wall is complete! Thank you to everyone who generously contributed to this crucial first step towards completing the ecoVillage....

Inaugural Maasai Girls Rescue Center Raleigh Hub

May 3, 2022 Community and Culture, ecoVillage, Volunteering

Nearly 40 people came together April 26th for the inaugural Maasai Girls Rescue Center Raleigh Hub....

Education is key at MGRC

April 24, 2022 ecoVillage, Education, Education and Sustainability, Journal Entries, Maasai Culture

Rainy season has begun in Tanzania, and we are already seeing new growth on the fruit trees we planted last fall. The girls are also growing and changing on what seems like a daily basis....

Eco farm produces better nutrition than the traditional Maasai diet at lower cost

April 8, 2022 ecoFarm, ecoVillage, Education and Sustainability, Sustainability

This month we are celebrating the one-year anniversary of our ecoFarm. A three-acre parcel that grew from undeveloped land to lush crops, a livestock barn and a bio-gas fuel source capable of sustaining 70 people....

2022 is shaping up to be a big year!

March 29, 2022 ecoVillage, Growth and Reflection, Journal Entries, Sustainability

Elisante and I have been keeping busy with the wall construction, adding new staff members and planning for future projects here at MGRC....

Environmental sustainability roots MGRC

March 7, 2022 ecoFarm, ecoVillage, Education and Sustainability, Sustainability

Living in one of the world’s most scenic places, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the natural beauty....

Stitching our way toward economic sustainability

February 6, 2022 Community and Culture, ecoVillage, Education, Maasai Culture, Sustainability, Volunteering

Sayuni came to Maasai Girls Rescue Center three years ago when she was 10. Her mother brought her, saying she could no longer support her child. Then the mother left and hasn’t been back. ...

2021: A year of miraculous transformation for MGRC

January 18, 2022 ecoFarm, ecoVillage, Education, Growth and Reflection, Sustainability

A year ago this month, we began a seven-hour journey from our old home in Longido to our new home near Karatu....

First Annual Community Thanks Celebration

December 29, 2021 Community and Culture, ecoVillage, Journal Entries, MGRC Outreach, Volunteering

On December 18, Maasai Girls Rescue Center hosted our first annual Community Thanks celebration. Over 200 people gathered on the land that will become our ecoVillage....

A Grassroots Alternative to Failed African Aid

December 11, 2021 Community and Culture, ecoFarm, ecoVillage, Maasai Culture, Sustainability

Generous people around the world (with the US being the largest donor) provide billions in aid to countries and causes in Sub-Saharan Africa....

Kindness, Life, Hope

November 1, 2021 Community and Culture, ecoFarm, ecoVillage, Journal Entries, Maasai Culture

It’s been a few weeks since I returned from the states and wrote a journal entry. Karatu continues to be good to MGRC....

Why support MGRC’s ecovillage?

September 1, 2021 Community and Culture, ecoVillage, Maasai Culture, Sustainability

The Maasai Girls Rescue Center’s ecoVillage is founded on the premise that the only lasting way to help people is to teach them how to help themselves....

Volunteers at MGRC, Chickens, ecoFarm Updates

June 23, 2021 Community and Culture, ecoFarm, ecoVillage, Journal Entries, Sustainability, Volunteering

It has been a very busy time here at MGRC. The girls are on school break, and we have four recent high school graduates from the States visiting....

Scottsdale man, 71, hikes Grand Canyon in one day to benefit girls in Africa

June 21, 2021 Community and Culture, ecoVillage, Volunteering

Hugh Illsley goes the extra mile for others – hiking the 24-mile Grand Canyon rim-to-rim in one day to raise upwards of $25,000 for Maasai Girls Rescue Center, a nonprofit that cares for vulnerable girls in Tanzania, Africa....

New rescued girl, ecoFarm update, dedication ceremony delayed

April 30, 2021 ecoVillage, Growth and Reflection, Journal Entries

I’ve been told that some people might be interested in knowing how I spend my time while “vacationing” for the last 9 years in Africa. 😉 So, I thought I would keep a weekly journal of my day-to-day activities here at the Center and share them with you. Last week…...

MGRC ecoVillage teaches girls to “fish”

March 6, 2021 ecoVillage, Education and Sustainability, Sustainability

Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. –Lao Tzu, Chinese philosopher, 4th century, BC What they don’t say is, “And it would be nice if you gave him a fishing rod.” ― Trevor Noah, Born a…...