This March break, 10 students and three faculty members are traveling to Tanzania to learn about sustainable development and educational opportunities in rural Tanzania. Please enjoy the blog post below from Thijs ’27 where he shares Jackson’s inspiring journey from a Maasai guard to a chef at Papa’s Café, highlighting his resilience in overcoming strict gender roles to pursue his passion for cooking and paving the way for others in his tribe to follow their dreams.
From the long bumpy safari, bustling with wildlife, to the smooth peaceful roads heading back to camp, I was excited to return to Main Springs. Just as we first arrived, we were greeted by many friendly faces, exchanging hugs and asking questions. Through dinner I was able to connect with a Maasai warrior and now chef, which shed light on the practices and strict gender roles that are prevalent throughout their culture. Jackson, a chef at Papa’s café, the restaurant we have eaten at daily, spoke about how he came from a tribe that does not allow men in the kitchen. He began working for Chris, the Main Springs owner, ten years ago at nineteen years old acting as a Maasai guard. Chris asked him what he wanted to do, and Jackson said his passion was cooking. This passion of his proved difficult because of the harsh gender roles that the Maasai tribes continue to practice. But Jackson was dedicated and continued pursuing his dream. Jackson practiced cooking for Chris, every meal, for many months. He then went to a hotel to continue his training and gain experience. Once he returned to Main Springs, he was offered a job and now, for a couple years he has cooked delicious foods for all that have come to Papa’s. What struck me as impressive through this story were the challenges he overcame to follow his dream. His tribe thought he was crazy trying to break the gender roles which have strictly been followed for decades, but in 2019 during Covid, their tribe reunited and as he helped the mothers cook a new dish, they realized how skilled he is at cooking. A few years later, he was gifted a whole Maasai traditional outfit and accepted for what he does. Jackson has forever changed the strict gender roles in his tribe and followed his passion even when others called him crazy. This has led many other men in his tribe to also pursue their dreams through the gender gap, and now his tribe has more than five men cooks that, without Jackson’s brave and passionate efforts, would have never been accepted. Jackson’s story of working his way from a Maasai guard, to following his dream and doing what he loves through the hardships he faced is a powerful lesson in resilience and determination. This story inspires me to believe in myself even when faced with challenges and demonstrates how pursuing a genuine love or passion is the key to a successful life journey.
