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The Emusoi Centre in Tanzania is a centre for young Maasai women -'Emusoi' is a Maasai word meaning 'Discovery/Awareness/ Realisation. Emusoi follows the stories of six very determined Maasai girls who, with the help of the Emusoi Centre, struggle against the traditions of their families and communities in order to get an education. The Emusoi stories are also a testament to the vision, courage and determination of this group of exceptional young women. Each one realised the importance of going to school not only for herself, but for the future survival of her family and community. Coming from a culture where formal education of females was perceived as a threat, the Emusoi girls had to fight for their schooling. Even when their struggle led to division and heartbreak within families and communities, they refused to give up. On a deeper level, the book offers a unique insight into the dilemma facing the Maasai today: the tension between tradition and progress, between preserving the past and adapting for the future. The Maasai are an endangered people. If they do not adapt to the modern world, their culture will die. Adapt too far, and their culture will die anyway. The Emusoi girls are at the very centre of the dilemma. They are torn between their conviction that the survival of their people depends on them going to school and their deep loyalty to a culture that does not traditionally have formal education. Emusoi follows on from the success of "Dogodogo: Tanzanian street children tell their stories", with a Foreword by Cherie Blair (9780230722125). The excellent work of these sister projects has long been recognised by prominent individuals, companies, organisations and embassies from around the world, with (then) President George W. Bush and Mrs Laura Bush choosing to visit the Emusoi Centre while on tour in Tanzania in 2008.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Emusoi: Maasai girls tell their stories
I purchased this book about a month ago and have found it to be at once heart-breaking and heart-warming. In a global context, it is the story of Eastern Africa's Masai people and the loss of their culture as pastoralism becomes impossible. In an individual context, it is the story of the way Masai girls are torn between their desire to remain true to their culture and their desire to equip themselves to be 21 Century women, or, more directly, to become literate. It is the story of Sr. Mary Vertucci, Maryknoll Missioner, and her lifetime spent assisting these girls to find a way to be truly Masai women in the their finest tradition, while avoiding mutilation and forced marriages as young teens or even pre-teens, and gaining literacy skills. It is the triumphant story of a few of these women gaining University educations and many more acquiring skills as teachers, nurses, social workers, accountants -- skills necessary as the Masai people assume their place in 21st Century culture. The obstacles are enormous but the successes are coming. For anyone who cares about 3rd world development on an individual level, this book gives a close-up view of the challenges and one path to significant success. The illustrations are gorgeous giving it the appearance of a children's book but it is definitely not appropriate for children younger than 12.
I purchased this book about a month ago and have found it to be at once heart-breaking and heart-warming. In a global context, it is the story of Eastern Africa's Masai people and the loss of their culture as pastoralism becomes impossible. In an individual context, it is the story of the way Masai girls are torn between their desire to remain true to their culture and their desire to equip themselves to be 21 Century women, or, more directly, to become literate. It is the story of Sr. Mary Vertucci, Maryknoll Missioner, and her lifetime spent assisting these girls to find a way to be truly Masai women in the their finest tradition, while avoiding mutilation and forced marriages as young teens or even pre-teens, and gaining literacy skills. It is the triumphant story of a few of these women gaining University educations and many more acquiring skills as teachers, nurses, social workers, accountants -- skills necessary as the Masai people assume their place in 21st Century culture. The obstacles are enormous but the successes are coming. For anyone who cares about 3rd world development on an individual level, this book gives a close-up view of the challenges and one path to significant success. The illustrations are gorgeous giving it the appearance of a children's book but it is definitely not appropriate for children younger than 12.
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