A New Head Teacher 1/30/07

Eve Yamoi Merin had just come from lecturing on Child Rights at an international forum when I met her in Nairobi, but she is as down to earth as anyone in Kenya. A round faced woman with a hearty smile and a knowing shine in her eye, Eve sat patiently waiting in the cafe where I was meant to meet her a half hour earlier than I actually did, a common occurence here. We were sitting down together because she was one of the few educated, Maasai women with school administrator experience I had even heard of. A District Education Officer named Lashao accompanied me to the interview and did most of the questioning that day. I took careful notes, mindful of butting my American head in to a local process. When we did speak I recognized her ease with ideas, gentle leadership skills, and heart for her people: the Maasai. Within a half hour of our conversation, I was certain I wanted to hire her as Oloile's head mistress. The other Staff of Hope folks had already given their blessing. This consensus was bolstered by Eve's own commitment to the school, which was made obvious in her willingness to move a couple hours away from her two sons and husband to take on the responsibilities of a budding school. On Sunday afternoon Tyson and I met Eve as she stepped off her Matatu, a small van used as public transport, and made our way to a local guest house. We talked over tea about our similar convictions about the educational needs of girls in the Maasai community. A few hours later we continued the conversation at the school grounds as she met some of the staff, who came by to say hi, eventhough it was a weekend afternoon. She shared a hope that we might build her a small living quarters so she might stay on the school premises. I agreed to the idea immediately. And yesterday I saw her skill with the parents as the first year students lined up all day to register for the new term at this new school. When she gathered the staff after the longday, she assured them she would treat them as equals and made thempromise to call her "Head Teacher" instead of Head Mistress, for she found the later old fashioned and too authoritarian.

Because of Eve and a thousand other reasons I have hope for Oloile.