According to Macha, the street boys’ stories and artwork  sum up important aspects of life and culture in today’s Tanzania. They show how the written word has the power to bring together “those suffering..those seeking information and those keen to help.”

http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/editorial-analysis/47-columnists/1393-tanzanian-street-children-book-helps-mirror-our-nation.html

The website gives up-to-date news of the activities of the young people supported by both projects as well as new (painless!) ways to donate funds:

http://www.steppingstonestz.com/donate.htm

UK tax payers can see how some of their hard-earned money is helping to transform the lives of some of the world’s most vulnerable youngsters by visiting the DFID website which features the story of Aloys Funga Funga, one of the young men cared for by Dogodogo:

http://www.dfid.gov.uk/Media-Room/Case-Studies/2010/Vulnerable-boys-find-their-vocation-in-Tanzania/

The launch was hosted by HE Jon Lemoy, Norwegian Ambassador to Tanzania, at his official residence in Dar es Salaam, and attended by more than 200 guests.

Maryknoll Sister Jean Pruitt, founder of the Dogodogo Centre Street Children’s Trust (“sister project” to the Emusoi Centre) sent the following account of the proceedings:

“The Book Lauch was just super!  We had a great turn out of friends and supporters.  It was an added attraction because we had youth from 20 countries on the Peace Building Workshop who totally enjoyed the Maasai Dancers – as did the whole gathering.  Caroli Kinasha was simply awesome.  She was accompanied by a guitarist and her voice is so beautiful.  She and the Maasai in the crowd (and there were many) sang together at one point and that was thrilling.  Tunu Lukumbuzya, who wrote the Foreword, was great to come and introduce the book and Linda had tears flowing in the audience.  She read her poem in from the book and took it from there.  She is one of the most composed and clear speakers I have ever seen in a young woman.   The UK High Commissioner HE Diane Corner was there; also the US Ambassador , Bishop Kilaini,  and Judge Makaramba.  Judge Makaramba is the champion of children’s rights in Tanzania and he was so pleased to be invited.  Both ITV and Channel 10 covered the launch.  Citizen will review the book next week and Daily News will do an article with Linda…I introduced myself as “Sister Mary’s stand in” and Mary was thanked for being Mama to all the pastoralist girls…”

Maasai dancers pose with Emusoi graduate Linda (second from the right) and Tunu Lukumbuzya, author of the Emusoi Foreword, (standing to the right of the banner).

In Chapter 3 of the book, Linda (left) tells of the devastating effects of climate change on the traditional pastoralist way of life of the Maasai. Tunu Lukumbuzya (right), humanities teacher at the International School of Tanganyika in Dar es Salaam and author of the Foreword, also attended the launch.

Linda and her friends join Judge Makaramba (centre left) and Dogodogo founder Sister Jean Pruitt (far right). Judge Makaramba is widely praised for his work championing the rights of children in Tanzania.

Left to right: Maryknoll Sisters Dolores Geier and Virgeen Healey, HE Mr Philip Parham, UK Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative at the UN, Kasia Parham, and Maryknoll Sisters Dolores Mitch and Aurora de la Cruz.

Left to right: Kasia Parham, Maryknoll Sisters Dolores Mitch and Dolores Geier and Ms Mary Logan, teacher at Red Bank Catholic High School, New Jersey. Ms Logan’s students have been faithful supporters of Sister Mary’s work in Tanzania.

Second graders at Northside Center for Child Development, New York, asked interesting questions about the lives of street children in Tanzania after listening to the stories of the Dogodogo boys on Wednesday December 9th. (Photo by Ms Kendra.)

The students learned that children of their own age in other parts of the world do not enjoy the right to play, and to have fun, When they heard how Edward was forced to do household chores for his aunt and uncle while the rest of the family sat down to eat, Jennifer asked, ”Do kids in Tanzania play ball games?” Brandon asked, “When do they play?” and Joseph added, ”Do they like Pokemon cards?”

The US students were clearly struck by the differences between their own lives and those of the Dogodogo boys. Both Jaden and Randiell asked, “Do any kids go to school?” when they heard how Isaac used to watch his friends going off to primary school, wishing that he could go with them.

The kids’ teacher, Mr Nick Felts, said the kids at Northside were especially taken with the illustrations in the book because these were all drawn by the Dogodogo boys themselves.

Pat King became a champion of the Emusoi girls when she discovered that both she and Emusoi Centre director, Sister Mary Vertucci, are alumnae of the College of St Elizabeth, Morristown, New Jersey. “Women who studied at St Elizabeth’s stick together,” Pat told me. “The friends I made at college are friends for life.”

Among the 30 guests at the event was Sister Jacqueline Burns SC, President Emerita of the college (1981-97). Sister Jacqui, herself widely respected for her intellect and devotion to the poor, paid tribute to the work done by Sister Mary to transform the lives of hundreds of young Maasai women through education. “I am so proud that Sister Mary is putting into practice the ethos of service that lies at the heart St Elizabeth’s mission,” she said.

Other guests bought generous numbers of Emusoi copies. They pledged support for Sister Mary’s work and undertook to spread the word about an inspirational place in the heart of Maasailand where the crucial role played by women’s education in the fight against world poverty is not just a theory, but a reality.

They invited me to speak at a Thanksgiving Assembly on their campus in East 68th Street because they had heard about Emusoi and wanted to learn more about the challenges facing young Maasai women in their struggle to get a secondary education.

The students listened to the stories of some of the Maasai girls featured in the book and watched a short movie about the work of the Emusoi Centre that was made last year by a young British film director, Kat Hodgkinson. The young women were clearly very moved by the differences they perceived when they compared their own school experiences with those of their contemporaries in Maasailand.

“How can we help?” asked one senior.

“Tell people about the book!” I urged. “There are 100 of you in this assembly hall. If you each go home and tell 10 people, that’s 1,000 more who have heard the voices of these courageous Maasai girls. If each of them tells 10 people, that makes 10,000 more. And amongst all those people, surely there will be some who are prepared to do more than listen? Surely they will also take action? Like Sister Mary did at Emusoi?”

Dominican Academy religion teacher, Ms Katherine Leo wrote afterwards: “(the students) were asking today about purchasing the books etc…..you encouraged them not only to perform acts of charity by donating money, but also encouraged them to work for justice by spreading the word about Emusoi…”

Student Sara Granda commented: “Thank you so much for coming to Dominican Academy to speak about the Massai girls. I really appreciated you coming, I think I really learned a lot about the girls. I would love to learn more about them. I am planning on ordering your Maasai book. I would like to thank you and hope to meet you again sometime.”

Worlds apart? Not any more! Year 6 students at the British International School, New York, reached out to the Dogodogo boys after reading their stories. (Photo by Ms Bowie.)

The children came up with some creative ways to help raise the profile of street children everywhere, promote the book and support the work of the centre. One of them suggested writing a letter to President Obama, enclosing a copy of Dogodogo for his two daughters. 

The positive (and practical) response to the book from BISNY students and their teacher, filled me with hope.

“I hope I can change the world like you have done with the Dogodogo boys.” Piers

 ”This book was really inspiring and it made me want to help the Dogodogo boys even more.” Arielle

 ”I would fly to Africa just to see you because I would like to see how the boys lives are.” Jacob

 ”To me, Dogodogo is another word for hope.” Luccas

 ”I really liked the book. It’s a very good book. I hope the Dogodogo boys have a good life.” Faisal

 ”All of you have inspired me to do more things to help and I am thinking of ways to spread the word about you and your life stories.” Sophie

 ”I hope that I not only can help Dogodogo children but also the whole world.” Sam

 ”It was great to read and learn about such inspiring lives. You are all so brave and I hope more people in the world can understand about what obstacles so many children in the world are faced with and help you overcome them.” Ms Bowie

 Perhaps a brighter future lies in store for the Dogodogo boys – and for other street children - after all.