Education creates possibilities for pastoralist
IIRR programs change Children's Lives

Lakole, in the heart of the Cherrab desert, is a new settlement for pastoralists, whose livestock can drink from the occasional oasis and nearby wells.After observing many school-aged children at home and hearing requests by parents for access to and hearing requests by parents for access to education for their young, the Merti Integrated Development Program, working in partnership with IIRR as part of the Pastoralist Education Program PEP), opened the Lakole mobile school.In a little more than a year, enrollment has grown from an initial batch of 12 to 54. In this short time, the Lakole mobile school has helped to change the lives of pastoralist children.Here are stories of two of them.

Muslima Taki, a 13 year old girl from a family of 9, helps her family accomplish many domestic chores, including fetching firewood and water.Before Lakole mobile school opened, she had never attended school.She used to accompany the family donkey to ferry milk to and from Merti town, a distance of 25 miles across the scorching desert. Now Muslima attends Lakole mobile school. Last term, she was at the top of her class with 498 points out of 500. With her new knowledge of math, she is able to assist her mother to accurately record her milk transactions.

Wario Ali is a 15 year old boy from a family of 10. He used to attend school in Merti town, far away from his parents.He was left in the custody of his nephew. Without parental guidance, his school performance suffered and he began to spend time with a gang.. Since the mobile school opened in Lakole, he now lives with his parents and attends school under their guidance and care.

Posted on: November 2007