The Maasai Project encourages the Maasai people of Tanzania — one of the ten poorest areas in the world — to create, build and run their own infrastructure, with particular emphasis on hospital and educational facilities.
The Project has three key areas of focus:
The Maasai Project, strongly supported by the Lutheran Church Community, The Reverend Dave Simonson, Dr. Mark Jacobson, Leon Christianakis and others from the mid-fifties on.
Like any project of this type, especially one with such a profound effect on the community and its culture, considerable effort has been required — but the results and rewards have begun to show.
The Selian Lutheran Hospital's services have been extended to the wider community through sponsorship of six secondary schools, two other hospitals and twelve rural dispensaries in the region.
A further example of the holistic work and relationships in this vision is the MaaSae Girls Lutheran Secondary School, dedicated to giving young Maasai women the education they need to benefit both themselves and the community.
The recent first graduates of the program are proving valuable role models, increasing enrolments for upcoming classes and programs through a holistic approach with escalating benefits for hospital patients, school students, young women and the wider community.
Selian Lutheran Hospital began as a small semi-urban clinic for the Maasai people of Arusha and northern Tanzania. For over fifty years, Selian has shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ through medical service, treatment and ministry to the whole person: in body, mind and spirit.
The Project has three key areas of focus:
- To build a Hospital (Selian Lutheran Hospital) to provide first class medical attention to some of the poorest people in the world
- To create and run an all-girls school to provide a nurturing, encouraging and productive environment for young girls and women, currently held back by cultural restraints
- To promote the education of young women to secondary school and beyond, encouraging them to use their knowledge and skills to benefit their community
The Maasai Project, strongly supported by the Lutheran Church Community, The Reverend Dave Simonson, Dr. Mark Jacobson, Leon Christianakis and others from the mid-fifties on.
Like any project of this type, especially one with such a profound effect on the community and its culture, considerable effort has been required — but the results and rewards have begun to show.
The Selian Lutheran Hospital's services have been extended to the wider community through sponsorship of six secondary schools, two other hospitals and twelve rural dispensaries in the region.
A further example of the holistic work and relationships in this vision is the MaaSae Girls Lutheran Secondary School, dedicated to giving young Maasai women the education they need to benefit both themselves and the community.
The recent first graduates of the program are proving valuable role models, increasing enrolments for upcoming classes and programs through a holistic approach with escalating benefits for hospital patients, school students, young women and the wider community.
Selian Lutheran Hospital began as a small semi-urban clinic for the Maasai people of Arusha and northern Tanzania. For over fifty years, Selian has shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ through medical service, treatment and ministry to the whole person: in body, mind and spirit.
Meet Doctor Mark Jacobson
Dr. Mark Jacobson is the Hospital Director of Selian Lutheran Hospitals "Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre." Dr. Jacobson is originally from the United State and has served in Tanzania since 1985. He did his first degree at Harvard University, his Medical Degree and his Internal Medicine Specialty at the University of Minnesota, and his Masters in Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. He came to Tanzania with the Lutheran Church and has been serving within the Lutheran Diocese in Arusha throughout his years of service.
Dr. Jacobson's experience in health care delivery span the spectrum from patient care to primary health care and to hospital financing and management. He has been instrumental in initiating numerous health care services in the Arusha community including the Selian Orthopedic Institute for surgery for crippled children; The Selian Fistula Project; The Selian Lutheran Hospital Hospice; The African Palliative Association; and now the new Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre.
His interests now are focused on "Health Care Financing in Resource Poor Countries". He is the author of numerous peer reviewed articles and is a frequent international speaker on the subjects of Holistic Health Care and also around the issues of Health Care Financing. He currently serves as the Chair of the Board for the African Palliative Care Association - a continental organization dedicated to expanding Hospice and Palliative Care throughout Africa.
Dr. Jacobson and his wife Linda serve together in Tanzania and have raised their three daughters there.
Dr. Mark Jacobson is the Hospital Director of Selian Lutheran Hospitals "Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre." Dr. Jacobson is originally from the United State and has served in Tanzania since 1985. He did his first degree at Harvard University, his Medical Degree and his Internal Medicine Specialty at the University of Minnesota, and his Masters in Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. He came to Tanzania with the Lutheran Church and has been serving within the Lutheran Diocese in Arusha throughout his years of service.
Dr. Jacobson's experience in health care delivery span the spectrum from patient care to primary health care and to hospital financing and management. He has been instrumental in initiating numerous health care services in the Arusha community including the Selian Orthopedic Institute for surgery for crippled children; The Selian Fistula Project; The Selian Lutheran Hospital Hospice; The African Palliative Association; and now the new Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre.
His interests now are focused on "Health Care Financing in Resource Poor Countries". He is the author of numerous peer reviewed articles and is a frequent international speaker on the subjects of Holistic Health Care and also around the issues of Health Care Financing. He currently serves as the Chair of the Board for the African Palliative Care Association - a continental organization dedicated to expanding Hospice and Palliative Care throughout Africa.
Dr. Jacobson and his wife Linda serve together in Tanzania and have raised their three daughters there.
Meet The Reverend Dave Simonson
Dave Simonson came to Tanzania with his wife Eunice in 1956. Since then they worked as missionaries in Maasai land.
During his service as a missionary in Maasai land, Dave raised over US$7 million, building 2,500 classrooms and culminating in the internationally famous MaaSae Girls School in Monduli.
As soon as he arrived, he quickly won the respect of the Maasai and became a warrior when he alone faced a furious, charging man-killer lion, shooting it and saving the villagers' lives.
For years, his wife Eunice ran a back-door clinic from their home, tending thousands of children and adults giving what medicine she could, counselling and above all love.
Besides being an energetic and dedicated missionary, Dave founded Operation Bootstrap, a fundraising project with an annual walk in their home town of Minnesota.
Well-known for his pastoral work, he has encouraged and assisted many men and women to become pastors, bishops, educators, doctors and leaders in the Tanzanian and nearby communities.
Like Leon Christianakis, Dave believes passionately in the Maasai Project and the many community activities that stem from it.
Dave Simonson came to Tanzania with his wife Eunice in 1956. Since then they worked as missionaries in Maasai land.
During his service as a missionary in Maasai land, Dave raised over US$7 million, building 2,500 classrooms and culminating in the internationally famous MaaSae Girls School in Monduli.
As soon as he arrived, he quickly won the respect of the Maasai and became a warrior when he alone faced a furious, charging man-killer lion, shooting it and saving the villagers' lives.
For years, his wife Eunice ran a back-door clinic from their home, tending thousands of children and adults giving what medicine she could, counselling and above all love.
Besides being an energetic and dedicated missionary, Dave founded Operation Bootstrap, a fundraising project with an annual walk in their home town of Minnesota.
Well-known for his pastoral work, he has encouraged and assisted many men and women to become pastors, bishops, educators, doctors and leaders in the Tanzanian and nearby communities.
Like Leon Christianakis, Dave believes passionately in the Maasai Project and the many community activities that stem from it.
Meet Leon Christianakis
Leon is a fourth generation African, born in Zimbabwe in 1960. His father's family came from the Arusha, region, Home of the Maasai. He has a BSC (Hons), and a MA & Diploma Phil, and has been successfully involved in several major global businesses' including Morgan Stanley and Deutsche Asset Management.
In the late 90s he began to work with The Rev Dave Simonson, organising walking tours for visiting groups interested in supporting the hospital and girls' school.
In 2000, Leon flew a 1925 Gypsy Moth around Australia, raising over $300,000 for the school and other charities. He has pledged a significant amount of his funds to the hospital. (His flight was an attempt to break the record set by pioneer aviator Charles Kingsford Smith in 1927).
Leon believes passionately in the Maasai Project, especially its holistic, sustainable approach of education and care for Tanzanians by Tanzanians.
Leon is a fourth generation African, born in Zimbabwe in 1960. His father's family came from the Arusha, region, Home of the Maasai. He has a BSC (Hons), and a MA & Diploma Phil, and has been successfully involved in several major global businesses' including Morgan Stanley and Deutsche Asset Management.
In the late 90s he began to work with The Rev Dave Simonson, organising walking tours for visiting groups interested in supporting the hospital and girls' school.
In 2000, Leon flew a 1925 Gypsy Moth around Australia, raising over $300,000 for the school and other charities. He has pledged a significant amount of his funds to the hospital. (His flight was an attempt to break the record set by pioneer aviator Charles Kingsford Smith in 1927).
Leon believes passionately in the Maasai Project, especially its holistic, sustainable approach of education and care for Tanzanians by Tanzanians.
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To share in the Gospel of Jesus Christ through medical service, treatment, and ministry to the whole person in body, mind, and spirit.
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