January 2010
Dear Family and Friends,
I hope everyone had a
very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I am writing now to let you
know where I’m headed since graduating from the
In December, I graduated
from the
About three years ago,
the school’s founder --and my new boss, Kellie
O’Brien-- was approached by a nun and a group of Maasai elders who pleaded with
her to donate money so they could finally build a school. The Maasai are
a very hardworking people seeking to improve their society while also
maintaining the values and traditions of their forefathers. The village
elders knew that education was the only way their children would get out of
poverty, so they wanted to educate the kids and make sure that they learned to
speak English.
Kellie was so moved by
the people of the village that she donated not only money, but also turned the
development of the school into her life’s passion. Initially, the school
consisted of only one classroom. Now, just three years later, there are three
classrooms, electricity, a women’s center, a health clinic, a library, a soccer
field and so much more!
When I arrive at the
school in early February, I have laid out several very clear goals for myself,
in addition to several tasks that need a little engineering support.
First and foremost, my primary goal is to be at the school to teach the
children. I will not teach a class of my own but will assist all of the
teachers and headmaster in teaching English, writing and math. I will
also coordinate with Kellie in making important decisions because I will be the
first American to stay at the school for an extended period. I will be
the only American (“mzungu” meaning white person in Swahili) at the school for
most of my stay. Finally, on top of teaching and helping to run the
school, I will keep in close contact with Mary Pasquinelli
(a Western Springs neighbor of mine and a registered nurse who has visited the
village before) as we attempt to bring better health services to not only the
school but the entire village. Needless to say, I will have a lot on my
plate immediately upon arriving at the school.
I am going to need a lot
of support and would love to keep you informed about my progress at the O’Brien
School for the Maasai. To make this easier for you, I have decided to
post all of my updates from abroad to our school’s website (obrienschool.com). I’d love it if you were to invite
others to watch the progress of our mission in
Next, I will need help
with brainstorming and problem solving. I am pleased to have the support
of many friends and family who are engineers, doctors, lawyers, etc. When
I have questions or need to troubleshoot a problem, I hope you might be willing
to lend a (virtual) hand through email.
Finally, I would like to
ask for donations to help support me at the school. Kellie will provide
me with shelter and food at the school, but it will be my responsibility to pay
for everything else. I need to raise money to pay for my airline ticket
and any other expense. If you wish to donate to support my mission in
The O’Brien School for
the Maasai, NFP
Please mail the checks
to this address and Kellie will do her best to be sure the funds get to me
(please include my name in the memo line on your check). Also, the IRS
letter is attached to this email for your records.
If you prefer to
donate directly to me please send any checks to my home address at: Sam Pera
To give you a sense for
projects I will complete and their associated costs, here is what your money
will buy:
For $100, we can microfinance
another Maasai woman with a sewing machine to make goods for sale;
For $300, you can sponsor a
child’s meals for an entire year
For $500, we can supply the
school with a chicken coop, chickens and feed
For larger amounts, we are working on
installing water purification tanks so the village can have access to fresh
drinking water in order to promote better hygiene for the students and their
families.
Many thanks for your
time. I want to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who has helped
to make this trip a reality. I pledge to make a difference during my time
abroad and come home safely in July.
Thank you and God Bless.
Best personal regards,
Samuel Pera