Adjusting to American Culture (03:43)

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Kakenya Ntaiya is a graduate student studying in Pittsburgh who faces many challenges. Everyday life in the U.S. can still be overwhelming for this 27-year-old Maasai woman, who grew up in a small village in Kenya.

Education and Maasai Tradition (02:22)

Ntaiya is writing her dissertation on girls’ education. Maasai Chief John Neleke describes women’s roles in his culture. Ntaiya explains her reasons for undergoing female circumcision.

Promise for a Girls' School (02:24)

Ntaiya recalls talking village elders into giving her financial help and their blessing to attend school in the States. She discusses the promise she made to the village’s women.

Exploring Freedom (02:53)

Ntaiya marvels at the lack of restriction she faces as a woman in America versus her home country. Her boyfriend Michael Mugoh, a Kenyan native based in Washington D.C., proposes.

Return to Kenya (04:11)

Ntaiya returns home for the first time in two years. She worries about what to tell the elders about the school for girls. Village women dress her in traditional Maasai garb and express confidence in her ability to make change.

Great Expectations (02:12)

Ntaiya returns to her old school. She decries the crowded classes and lack of opportunity for village girls. Elders have set aside land for the school, but the project is not yet funded.

Recognizing Two Cultures (04:12)

Ntaiya tells her family she is engaged and her mother insists she adhere to Maasai engagement traditions. Later, Ntaiya discusses her capacity to live in two worlds and her plans for the future.

Credits: Against the Odds (00:04)

Credits: Against the Odds