More pictures from the New York launch of Emusoi

My thanks to Maryknoll Sister Aurora de la Cruz for sending her photos of the New York launch of Emusoi, which took place last December 14th, 2009 at the Mercy Corps Action Center to end World Hunger, Battery Park.

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.

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UN Deputy Secretary-General attends New York Emusoi book launch

Dr Asha-Rose Migiro, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, attended the launch of Emusoi: Maasai girls tell their stories on Monday December 14th.

There were more than 100 guests at the event, which took place at the Mercy Corps Action Center to End World Hunger, Battery Park, New York. Guests included members of Emusoi director Sr Mary Vertucci’s family, several of her sisters from Maryknoll, as well as a number of Sr Mary’s old college friends, faithful supporters of the Emusoi Centre, and distinguished representatives from UN agencies and UN diplomatic missions, schools, colleges and NGOs.

A large number of copies of both Emusoi and Dogodogo were sold and many guests promised to urge schools and colleges to use the books as texts for teaching and learning global citizenship.

Left to right: HE Mr Augustine Mahiga - Tanzanian Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN, Dr Amalle Daou, Dr Asha-Rose Migiro - Deputy Secretary-General of the UN, Mrs Kasia Parham, Mrs Elizabeth Mahiga, HE Mr Philip Parham - UK Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN. (Photo by Russell Bruns.)

Emusoi girls come to UK to launch book

In October 2009, two Maasai girls from Emusoi, Naha and Esupat, braved their first ever journey by aeroplane to travel to the UK for the launch of their book, Emusoi. The book launch, which took place at Macmillan HQ on October 7^th, was attended by DfiD Minister of State, Gareth Thomas.

Naha (24), left, now in her second year at Arusha Business College studying banking and accountancy, intends to use her qualifications to help women in her village benefit from Tanzania’s growing tourist industry by creating their own businesses selling Maasai jewellery and handcrafts. Esupat (15), right, who ran away from home last year rather than face enforced marriage to a total stranger the same age as her father, wants to be a lawyer so that she can stand up for her people’s rights. (Photo by Simon Davis, Department for International Development, DfID. To find out more : www.dfid.gov.uk )

(Photo by Enfield Advertiser)

On Friday October 9th, the two girls received a warm welcome at St Ignatius’ College, Enfield, where they told students about their book and answered questions about the challenges facing them in Africa. They attended Mass in the school chapel, sampled some traditional fish, chips and baked beans in the canteen, and gave an interview on IC, the school radio station.

Naha and Esupat, from Tanzania, sixth-formers Joe Hollingshead, Sophie Gorne and Rebecca Merritt, and Stanley Bijura who is from Tanzania at Bartholomew School (Photo by Witney Gazette)

Naha and Esupat were invited to tea at No 10 Downing Street by Mrs Sarah Brown. They also visited the home of Mrs Cherie Blair and made a tour of Oxford University. (Photo by Flickr 10 Downing Street)

Latest e-mail from Sr Mary at Emusoi, sent 6^th October 2009 “Thousands of young women are coming to the gates of Emusoi every day. I cannot trust myself to go and meet them because I find it impossible to turn anyone away. These girls are so vulnerable. Their mothers beg us to keep them in a safe place. But we look after 700 girls already. We have nowhere to put any more. We have no money to feed them, let alone pay their school fees. It is so hard.”

The two girls also gave a number of press interviews.