The CBO “EhNkishon” (Community Based Organization), recognized by the Kenyan government, has set itself the task of supporting the lives of Massai women in the Laikipia region. Women are the pillars of this society. They organize the household, ensure that the children get food and to go to school and help to take care of the animals. Since men in this society are only responsible for the security of the community and the cattle, survival depends largely on women. This culture is difficult and if so, it can be changed in small steps.Our project has supported women with microcredits since 2012. With a loan of only €100, a woman can become independent in this region. They open a “shop” where they sell salt, sugar, corn flour, tea etc., or they buy a sewing machine, or they produce Maasai jewelery, which they sell to tourists, or buy goats and then sell the milk.
With the money they earn, they can offer their children a better future.
The loans have been paid back 99% to this day – we work according to the successful model of Muhammad Yunus, who invented the Grameenbank (https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Yunus).
We also pay school fees for two children at highschool – coming out of very poor families.
2019 we bought a used Suzuki Escudo to bring people in case of emergency to the hospital. Before they fixed the sick person with the driver on a motorbike …
In times of CORONA we supported the community with soaps for desinfection – they don´t have money for soap – some never have seen or used soap before. People learn to wash their hands properly.
It all sounds very banal, but the Massai have always been left behind by the government and get called “baboons” just because they live their 16.000-year-old culture.
We in the 1st world must not forget how people are suffering in the 3rd world.
If these people see what we throw away, they wouldn’t understand…
We need your help to enable these people to live a decent life