Kenya Maasai Staff Profile
Virginia Turasha
Virginia Turasha is the program coordinator for the Kenya Maasai program (based in a series of Maasai villages) approximately two hours from Nairobi. Raised in Kimuka, Virginia went to school in Kibiko, another small village close to the town of Ngong. Every day she would walk for three hours to get to school and back, such is the distance between villages. Virginia is now 34 and has three children – Beatrice Sianto, Purity Nashipai and Peter Kasaine. She lives in a manyatta (Maasai house) in the village of Kimuka in a large boma (series of huts) with her Mother, sisters, children and extended family.
The Kenya Maasai program provides volunteers for schools and medical clinics in three villages (Kimuka, Olmararoi and Saikeri) near the foot of the Ngong Hills (famous for its role as the location for the book and movie “Out of Africa”). In addition to coordinating the Kenya Maasai program, Virginia also acts as host mother for volunteers (in fact she was the host mother for Daniel Radcliffe – director of IVHQ when he first volunteered)who are placed in the village of Kimuka.
Virginia’s day to day role as program coordinator for the Maasai program includes coordinating airport pickups, greeting volunteers at the airport and taking them to Maasailand, running orientation with other Maasai staff members, visiting volunteers in their home stays and projects and assisting with the financial dealings (payments of host families etc) of the IVHQ Kenya Maasai program. Virginia’s favourite part of her job is meeting new volunteers, many of whom become her “children” when she is their host mother. Virginia looks forward to meeting you when you come to Kenya with IVHQ - Karibu IVHQ Kenya Maasai Program!