On February 19, the Indian Mountain community laced up their skates for the annual Skating Party to benefit our sister school in Kenya. This marks the third year of this relationship with The Moi Girls Secondary School and the sixth year with Girls Learn International (GLI), the parent group that pairs US schools with international schools.

The Moi Girls Secondary School is located 50km outside the city of Kajiado, Kenya. Founded in 1980, the campus consists of several concrete buildings and sits on 45 acres of land. The annual tuition is 42,000 Kenyan shillings, or about $625 per student. The motto is “Honor, Courage and Industry” and the slogan is “Integrity.” For girls in this part of Kenya education is not a priority in families where poverty is high and education is deemed a luxury. Here are a few examples of the families our IMS fundraiser is helping:
Peninah is the oldest of six children and a student at Moi. Her grandparents raised her after her father left and her mother died at an early age. Her father returned years later with three cows, the family’s sole source of income. Regional draught threatens the livestock and any monies that might be put aside for education.
Sophia, aged 16 is the oldest of seven children. In order to help support the family, Sophia’s four younger sisters have already been married-off. Her mother suffers from ill health and does her best to support the family with a bead-work business.
Moi School has 600 girls in attendance striving for a good education, a brighter future and to be role models for others. Esther Moraa, the coordinator writes, “In my school, I empower other beautiful girls by letting them know their values and their qualities. This is really a challenge but at least we are helping someone to grow with a well-visioned mind.”
The IMS All-School Skating Party raised $672 (a year’s tuition at Moi), which the Community Service group will send along with handwritten letters to our pen pals there. Thank you to all who participated and a special word of thanks to Mrs. Rosse for sharing so many extra pairs of skates for our boarding students!