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 their wings and create their own lives. And so we are excited to provide an update on our first two MGRC graduates.

Yeyolai completed her studies in December 2023, while Nemoipo finished hers in February 2024. Both young women secured employment at safari lodges: Yeyolai at a lodge near Ngorongoro and Lake Manyara, and Nemoipo at one in Serengeti. Currently, they are participating in internship programs that involve rotating through different departments before being assigned permanent roles. This arrangement allows both the girls and their employers to determine where they will be happiest and most productive. As part of their employment package, the lodges provide accommodation and meals.

Both girls keep in touch on a regular basis and are extremely happy with their positions and comfortable that they have a future with their respective companies. Jobs in tourism are solid employment opportunities and lodges are always in need of good workers like Yeyolai and Nemoipo.

We are so proud of how far these young women have come in such a short amount of time. Yeyolai arrived at MGRC in 2021. She bravely ran to the police after her mother and uncle gave her to a man for (child) marriage. Social welfare stepped in and brought her to MGRC. In just two short years she gained the education and skills she needed to support herself.

Nemoipo, too, escaped forced marriage at 16 years old. She came to us in 2019 and in those four years she overcame many challenges. School was sometimes a struggle because she got such a late start. But the difficulties she faced make her success now even sweeter.

Yeyolai and Nemoipo’s training at MGRC has led to their success. We anticipate more girls will follow in their footsteps. The ecoLodge will create job opportunities for our girls, including those with disabilities who may require some support.

Watching these young women go from dire circumstances to self-sufficiency energizes us as we continue our mission to rescue at-risk Maasai girls and prepare them for the future. And we continue to be thankful to you, our supporters, for helping us change the world, one girl at a time.