This young lady had had a seizure and fallen into a fire. She was brought to our clinic in Olmusakwa, Kenya in July. She had burns on her head and her eye. The eyelid was gone and there was nothing to protect the eye from infection, keep it moist or keep the flies off of it. Those participating in the clinic raised the money and we were able to send her to Kikuyu Eye Hospital for care. When I returned to Kenya in October for more clinics she came by for a visit - what a blessing it was to see her again. This time she was smiling! She is currently having one more surgery where they will tighten up the lower part of her eye and put in an artificial eye.

I am part of a non profit organization - Maasai Development Project -  that works with the Maasai tribe in Kenya. We provide adult literacy classes, and also work with children "at risk". The Maasai for the most part till practice polygamy and female genital mutilation on their daughters between the ages of  8 - 14. Then they are married off to men that could be the ages of their grandfathers, in exchange for cows.

Our goal is to educate both the adult and the children, that is the only way that FGM will come to an end. We currently have about 90 young girls that are sponsored the Maasai Development Project and are able to attend boarding schools where they are safe and can obtain an education, thus giving them opportunities to make choices for themselves.

Three times a year we provide opportunities for medical/dental groups to do clinics in Maasailand. One does not have to be in the medical or dental field to participate. It is an incredible experience and when given opportunity to help make a difference for a child it is the most amazing feeling you will ever experience.