Returned from Much Needed Vacation
Returned from much needed vacation
I returned from a much needed vacation on the 3rd of April, a 30 day vacation in the States. It was great seeing family and friends. I was getting burned out with the constant grind of trying to help a people who have been conditioned to accept charity without needing to give anything back. My original mission here was to create sustainable programs and projects to teach and help the Maasai people of the bush. I have found that after two years I have been chasing a dream as the people I trusted and needed to accomplish this turned out to be self serving and used the monies for their own personal wants and not those of their tribe. There are still many people who want to grow and improve their way of life while still maintaining the richness of their culture. The Maasai are a proud group and I encourage anyone who want to understand their way of life to explore the internet which has a wealth of information on their history and current issues. Just be careful to view many sites as some want to glorify this tribe without giving the whole picture.
I believe I was naive in thinking I could make a difference in a culture that has been conditioned to accepting charity and gifts with no expectation of self help or improvement. I am still prayerful that there are some who hold out and will invest in themselves.
I have interacted with several people who have come here to try and help. Most come, see the poverty and potential and want to donate. The problem is they get taken by the more educated Maasai who know what the donors want to hear and they give their money to these people. Unfortunately, the reception is to look at the donor as a cash cow and do nothing to better their tribe or even themselves unless you consider perfecting the art of getting donors to give you money for nothing a worthwhile endeavor. I do not.
I am hopeful that the next months prove to be fruitful. I am a realist to know that this is not in my hands and I need to be objective and not eager to have my vision fulfilled only by my efforts.