Projekt Kim-Maasai
PUAAN E MAA INITIATIVE GROUP
afro art cult & connect
antonialombard1@hotmail.com
Antonia Lombard
Taxenstrasse 16a/11
3851 Kautzen
The Catholic Diocese of Ngong, which covers two Maasai Counties, namely Narok and Kajiado use to have a special Apostolate to the Maasai. This Apostolate was started when it became clear that the Maasai were no longer being given the necessary attention.
Rev.Fr.Frans Mol MHM was appointed to head this team. To facilitate this apostolate, the Diocese in 1978 established a special centre in Lemek, Narok County, known as “Maasai Centre”. This Apostolate did tremendous work amongst the Maasai but unfortunately its zeal became less when some of its members were transferred and others died.
As from 1980, Rev.Fr.Frans Mol started teaching Maa language to Pastoral workers and expatriates and developing materials in Maasai language for use in the Catholic Diocese of Ngong and beyond.
The Diocese upgraded the Maasai Centre into a new Institute which is now known as,”Oltepesi Cultural Institute”. The name of this Institute is derived from the umbrella thorn tree better known as Senegalia abyssinica. The centre is to give shade to all cultures.
The scope and mandate of this Institute has been expanded and now it works not just for the Maasai in Kenya and Tanzania in isolation but in principle for all peoples who are in the jurisdiction of the Catholic Diocese of Ngong.