Empowering these agents of change will bring a shift in the economic and social perception about the Maa community in general. Empowered women and youth are the key to breaking the cycle of poverty in family/community, empowered women and youth means healthier families, empowered women and youth strengthen the economy. The fight against FGM, early marriages and teenage pregnancy will surely be won by an empowered society both in social and economic aspect and an informed mindset.

In Maasai land, the girl child is robbed of her youth and her education. Traditionally, when a girl attains the age of 11, she is sold by her father to older men, for marriage. Their suitors pay a few cows to the girl’s father and the deal is sealed. The price is often negotiated between the men; girls and their mothers have no say in the matter, hence no choice than to succumb. Mothers are not even allowed to give any marital advice to their daughters, let alone prepare them for puberty. In this case, girls discover things on their own. At a tender age, the young girl, now forced into womanhood, starts giving birth. This is a major setback in as far as her education is concerned. She ends up being illiterate and hence cannot be considered in any leadership. This is a vicious cycle as the generations of girls continue to succumb to such acts.

This is because Maasai men lack the education for blue-collar jobs, and in families that are less fortunate in terms of resources and property, these men give their daughters for marriage in exchange for dowries to meet their family need for food and clothing or replenish the dwindling, essential livestock.

Ewang’an Foundation strongly advocates and champions for the empowerment of women and youth in order to realise these changes that will help in bringing an end to these harmful cultural practices. To realise this, we will mentor youths to take part in entrepreneurship so that they can be able to create job for themselves and also other youths who are jobless, provide avenues such as Saccos, Chama’s where women can get platforms to do their beads work, dressmaking and fashion in general while providing a market where they can sell their products, partnering with the Ministry of Education and the county

government through TVET programmes where our women and youth can be trained on technical course so that they can provide for their families.