Teaching in the Lemong'o Village in Kenya, AFRICA

Mary Ann Domanska Start Date: Feb 5, 2024 - End Date: May 14, 2024
  • Cultural Exchange
  • Professional Development
  • Volunteer Trip
  • Nairobi, Kenya

My Travel Story

by: Mary Ann Domanska Start Date: Feb 5, 2024 - End Date: May 14, 2024
  • Cultural Exchange
  • Professional Development
  • Volunteer Trip
I have been teaching at SCH Academy for 21 years. I had the good fortune to meet Carolyn Tague, Class of ​1980,​ shortly after she was awarded the ​SCH Academy Distinguished Alumna Award​ for her impressive work with students and teachers in Africa over many years. She spoke of her life-long draw to Africa and her dream of helping the children there. Carolyn is the founder and executive director of ​The Lemong’o Project​, which was established as a non-profit organization in 2011. According to the website: “​The Lemong’o Project is a charitable non-profit organization dedicated to empowering the Maasai people of Lemong’o in rural Kenya through improvement of nutrition, access to education, health support, and employment opportunities.” ​Carolyn’s speech, upon accepting this recognition from her alma mater, was thoroughly inspiring to me and I was immediately intrigued by the idea of connecting with her and learning more about this program.

Initially, I thought perhaps my class of second grade girls could simply connect with a class of students there and develop a pen-pal relationship to further our understanding of other countries and cultures, but further investigation made me realize that correspondence would be difficult with the limited resources to technology and electricity in the small village of Lemong’o. To access Wi-Fi and email would require a teacher to travel to another village some distance away and regular snail-mail would take too long, be too cost-prohibitive, and is often unreliable in that region. Instead, I felt strongly that the financial needs of this vital village school should take priority over creating a classroom project.

After communicating with Carolyn I wanted to have the opportunity to travel to the village of Lemong’o, if possible, and spend time at this school, get to know the children, and offer my own teaching experience, as needed. I also wanted to find a way of helping the school by potentially providing funding for teacher salaries, art materials, and appropriate teaching resources that might be lacking due to funding constraints and availability.

Ways that donations are being used by The Lemong’o Project include:
$2 ​provides school lunch for one child for a month.
$4 ​covers the average costs for one patient at the annual medical clinic.
$25 ​pays for school tuition in the village school for one child for an entire year.
$130 ​pays a teacher's salary for an entire month

My past experiences as an interim director of ​Girl Scouting Beyond Bars​, as a Girl Scout leader, and having many years of training in outdoor camping, have helped prepare me for the more primitive living accommodations while I am there. As a participant in the incredible year-long ​North Carolina Outward Bound Teacher’s Initiative curriculum focused on experiential learning, the concept of pushing myself outside my comfort zone has become a constant theme in my life. It is also a key concept that drove me to plan this trip to Africa. I have a passion for working with children and helping them grow. I was the director of a children’s theatre program for three summers and ran a summer tinkering workshop called “Make It Happen.” I was a coach for two years for Girls On The Run. I  coached an enthusiastic and creative co-ed fifth grade Odyssey of the Mind team at SCH Academy. Most importantly, having grown up in a home where my parents ran an emergency shelter for children that provided long and short-term foster care for well over one hundred children (infant to age 18) gave me a perspective of empathy, a willingness to stretch myself, an appreciation of differences, flexibility in challenging situations, and a desire to do good in the world.

Financial support through this fundraising effort would afford me the opportunity to follow a new path and perhaps be able to share my talents in photography, writing (I’m the author of the middle grade novel, ​Emic Rizzle, Tinkerer​), theatre (I recently performed in a production of ​White Guy on the Bus ​- a play by Bruce Graham), and education with the children at this small rural school in Kenya that lacks many of the resources that it is so easy to take for granted while teaching at a prominent, well-funded private school like SCH. I believe strongly that this trip will remind me just how incredibly fortunate we are and for all that we have ample access to without thought, without stress, and without struggle on a daily basis. I am certain that in so many ways this trip would be an enriching experience for me. I believe going beyond the walls of my classroom in this way will reinvigorate my love of teaching. It is widely believed that finding meaning and purpose helps sustain us as passionate and motivated educators. Exposure to cultural differences will widen my perspective and provide memories to last a lifetime. I believe in life-long learning and forming new connections. Going to Africa and contributing my time and energy to the Lemong’o Project village school will be fulfilling in ways I cannot imagine. Financial support is crucial in allowing me to take on this challenging and fulfilling experience as I will not be earning my regular salary during these two weeks away.

Planned dates of Travel: May 18th-June 1, 2024 

I appreciate your consideration of  donating any amount to help make my journey happen. Any money raised or left over beyond my travel expenses will be donated directly to supporting the people of Lemong'o.
Should you have any questions  please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

Mary Ann Domanska
mdomanska@sch.org
Girls 2nd Grade Teacher
Springside Chestnut Hill Academy
Philadelphia, PA  19118
  • Nairobi, Kenya

Updates

7

  • 106% Funded!

    106% Funded!
    I want to send a heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who was able to donate towards this campaign. This has already been a magical journey more than five years in the making. I can't wait to share more about this trip when I return and show my appreciation to everyone who supported me in making it happen.
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  • Nge And The Magical Drums - A Maasai Folktale Retold

    I discovered a Maasai folktale that I have rewritten. When I travel to Lemong'o and work with students at the Belgrove Primary School, I am hoping to share this story and have them help me illustrate it. I'm not certain yet how it will be published and shared with the world but I look forward to the process of bringing this folktale to life. It is written in both English and Swahili.

    In "Nge and the Magical Drums: Bringing Rain to the Village," embark on a captivating journey filled with hope, courage, and the magic of music! Join young Nge, an orphan boy who discovers his extraordinary gift for drumming in the face of a devastating drought. As the village struggles, Nge's passion for the rhythmic beats of the ngoma drums leads him to a momentous encounter that changes everything. With determination and a pure heart, Nge unleashes the power of his music to bring rain to the parched land, earning him a special place in the hearts of his village. This enchanting tale reminds us that even in our darkest moments, the smallest gestures of kindness and resilience can ignite the most extraordinary miracles. Get ready to be swept away by the timeless charm of "Nge and the Magical Drums" – a story that celebrates the boundless potential within us all!
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