The Samburu are nomadic pastoralists and their way of life is thousands of years old. Traditionally their sole source of food is their animals—cows, goats and camels—and they migrate frequently in search of water and pasture for them.
A child that went to school would be able to get a wage-paying job after graduation so they could send money home to help mitigate poverty, particularly in times of drought. They would learn to speak English and Kiswahili enabling them to better communicate with the outside world and gain access to additional resources. They could also return as much-needed nurses, teachers and community workers who knew the community, spoke the Samburu language and would serve the community better.
In 2013 the very first students who had started school at the Thorn Tree kindergartens in 2002 graduated from trade schools and colleges. These students were the first person in their families to ever go to school. There were 32 of them in 2013, with another 300 since then. They all have jobs and send part of their wages home. They have a great sense of duty and responsibility and they are very proud to be able to do this. Many are helping to put their younger siblings through school.