Kellie O'Brien | O'Brien School for the Maasai | Tanzania

Kellie O'Brien is the founder and executive Director of the O’Brien School for the Maasai. More than just a school, O'Brien School for the Maasai is an organization that believes education can change the world, that economic opportunity can shift harmful gender norms, and that leaders can come from the most rural and difficult environments.

The school provides high quality education to 400 students in an English Medium school based on biblical principles. In addition, they empower over 100 widows with jewelry projects and other meaningful training. The O’Brien school is rated as one of the top schools in the region.

In addition to faith-based education, their focus is on standing up for the rights of the children in a Maasai culture — especially the girls. Girls and women often face severe gender discrimination in Tanzania, and the Maasai traditionally do not prioritize girls' education.​

O'Brien School's co-educational learning environment allows for girls and boys to learn and lead alongside one another, starting in pre-primary school. This ensures mutual respect and reinforces gender equality, contributing to long-lasting positive effects on harmful gender norms.  

The school also partners with many NGO’s and governmental bodies to bring awareness to prearranged early marriages, to end female mutilation, and to find justice when girls are abused.