ABOUT US
WHO WE ARE
The Nadumu Maasai Women’s Organization was founded in 2021 by executive director Simon Emanuel. This is his story;
When growing up I witnessed the daily challenges that women in my community, especially my mother, had to endure. She worked very hard to support our family because my father didn’t take care of us. She didn’t own any property, had no rights including decision making, she possessed no authority within the family. I also witnessed abuse against women and girls including beatings, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM). When I was young I had a dream that one day I would work to support my community. I dreamt of an environment in which both men and women could thrive. This would happen through improving the standard of life for those who live a vulnerable life, as well as more quality and freedom for girls and women.
NMW empowers women via access to education, healthy living, environmental awareness and economic opportunities such as the design and production of traditional maasai jewellery and gender equality.
Maasai women have a great deal of responsibility in the community however due to a history of strong cultural influences they are neglected when it comes to important areas such as access to health care, education, economic awareness and the environment.
Some women have started small businesses in the community but were unsuccessful due to an absence of experience and support so we’ve decided to focus on being a strong advocate for them to ensure they can support their children to go to school, access to health services, sufficient healthy food and ultimately to eradicate poverty.
We believe women are the central figure of the family among the maasai community hence Nadumu Maasai Women organisation is going to ensure 95% of women from maasai communities are going to create strong awareness in the community and thus enable more equality.
Our goal is to empower the Maasai women through environmental activities which will allow them to be self-sufficient. Some of these activities include planting fruit and vegetable trees which allows them to be economically independent as well as help to alleviate climate change. This together with education will hopefully lead to a healthier standard of living and a better livelihood in the community.
Our focus is to empower women to become change makers,entrepreneurs, leadership awareness and promote gender equality in maasai land . This is because we have realised that women are given fewer priorities in the society and most of the have more responsibility in their family but in the side of production the are not involved as well the don’t get an chance to exercise their leadership in a Community,a lot of women’s have high potential in the society but no anyone supports them,they have experience but due to insufficient of supports the have no voice in the community.
We welcome you to support the project so we maasai women will get a chance to bring the changes in the community,”Together we can.”