The position of Maasai Girls and why we also support Maasai Boys

When thinking of Kenya, every tourist immediately thinks of the Maasai, one of the many tribes in Kenya. Their beautiful colourful clothes, proud appearance and special culture have made them the calling card of Kenya.

The (lesser known) side of the Maasai culture is the very poor position of young girls and women. Circumcision and arranged marriage at a very young age are still common, as well as polygamy. Immediately after marriage, they are forced to quit school. Many of them will never get beyond a life of having many children, and working very hard within the husband’s family.

A Maasai Girl is worth more than a few cows

Fortunately, more and more parents in traditional communities no longer want to let this happen to their daughters. And they realise that it is good for their daughters to go to school and develop themselves so that they will have a chance of getting a job and an income.
Some, very traditional fathers can only be convinced with the following argument: A daughter with a diploma yields in the long run much more for the family and the community than those few cows that father receives as a dowry for marriage.

School fees must be paid ….. Can we sell another cow?

Unfortunately, there is often insufficient income to pay school fees as most parents live off the profits from a small herd of goats and cows. When the school year starts, an extra cow often has to be sold.

And in times of severe drought, when the cattle dies, there is no income at all and the family suffers from hunger. Sometimes marrying off a daughter to a rich older man is the only way to get money for food.

International, national and local organisations are trying to provide access to schooling for as many girls as possible through awareness-raising and funding for school fees. StandUp4Talent particularly focuses on financing school fees.

We also see that more and more communities are uniting in Community Based Organisations (CBOs) which also aim to promote girls’ education. We enjoy working with CBOs that take responsibility for the development of their communities in this way.

Why we also support Maasai Boys

For many years, the focus of NGOs worldwide, including StandUp4Talent, has been mainly on supporting girls. On one hand, to address their huge disadvantaged position; on the other hand, because improving the economic position of women, especially in developing countries, has a lot of positive impact on the economic development of those countries. And we still have a long way to go, but the effects of these policies are becoming more and more visible.

However, with the improved position of women, awareness of the importance to provide good education for boys as well is now growing. Well-educated independent women often do not want a relationship with a man who has not developed himself and as a result they find it difficult to find a partner. Moreover, well-educated young men appreciate and respect a woman with a good education. They will support her in her professional development and they will also be willing to offer their daughters a good education.

That is the reason why StandUp4Talent also supports Maasai Boys. This way, we hope to contribute to the development of a new generation of Maasai, with opportunities for a good future, and with a gender balance based on mutual respect and appreciation.