Mission: The mission of the Maasai Children’s Initiative is to advocate for social justice and development for Maasai children, particularly girls. Through our efforts, we support children’s education and technology training, as well as the development of sustainable income-producing projects, eco-tourism and intercultural exchange.

Vision: While we support education of all Maasai children, our vision is that Maasai girls progress into secondary school; that our girls become adept at computer use; that they be able to read and write in the national languages: Swahili and English as well as their own language, Maa; and that Maasai girls are empowered to make wise decisions about their future life.

Objectives:

  1. To provide educational opportunities for all Maasai children and overcome the historic underrepresentation of Maasai girls at all grade levels;
  2. To increase school enrollment and improve academic performance and learning retention by tackling hunger through school feeding programs;
  3. To empower Maasai women through culturally-sensitive adult education and sustainable social and economic development;
  4. To promote computer literacy and provide basic skills to young Maasai women to prepare them for a competitive job market;
  5. To promote the maintenance and preservation of Maasai cultural heritage.

About the Maasai

The Maasai are a noble and dignified people who have proudly maintained their traditional lifestyle and cultural identity. They live a nomadic lifestyle, raising cattle and goats, wearing traditional clothes, and living in small villages called Nkangitie, which are circular arrangements of mud huts.

However, the Maasai are one of the most marginalized and poorest tribes of east Africa, despite their proximity to Kenya’s major region of eco-tourism. Less than 10 percent of Maasai children complete primary education, and the level of literacy among Maasai girls stands at 2 percent! In contrast, the Kenyan national average level of literacy is at an all-time high of 80%. The factors responsible for this imbalance include:

  • Sustained poverty, exacerbated by continued land loss and declining livestock base;
  • Poor learning environments and facilities;
  • Geographic and political isolation;
  • Restrictive cultural practices, including low priority accorded to female education and empowerment.