Women Empowerment
Why do Maasai Women need to be Empowered?
“A woman with a voice is, by definition, a strong woman. But the search to find that voice can be remarkably difficult.”
Melinda Gates
Maasai women play a crucial role in the management of natural resources and general community health, welfare and wellbeing. Like in any other community, empowering women in Maasai communities is a vital path to Sustainable Development. Their contribution to water management, grazing land, processing milk and meat product for households’ livelihood, promoting sustainable tourism practices and wildlife conservation are essential to sustainability of communities’ resources.
However, Maasai women face numerous challenges such as gender-based violence, limited access to education, lack of economic opportunities and cultural norms which hinder their potentials and capabilities. Rozalia Foundation works to empower Maasai women by providing them with education, entrepreneurship skills, improving their positions in decision making and resources management.
The team members working with Rozalia Foundation are natives of the Maasai community who understand cultural practices, beliefs, values and general way of life. These are important aspects when engaging and involving Maasai community in project identification and implementation. This is because Maasai people have a unique cultural identity and way of life that revolves around cattle-keeping and have deep respect to for their environment and natural resources which are all vital and central aspects of their livelihoods. In addition, they have a strong sense of community, and decisions are often made through consensus-building among community members. As such, we devote ourselves in involving community leaders and elders in planning and implementation process of our projects for aiming of wining greater acceptance, sense of ownership and community participation.
VICOBA Project
This project aims at establishing, supporting and sustaining microfinance groups in the Maasai community, specifically targeting women who may have limited access to financial services. The microfinance group provides a platform for women to gain skills and experiences, pool their resources and access loans for small business ventures.
Among Maasai communities it is a taboo that livestock are owned by men and women have less influence in decision making and ownership. This project aimed at capacitating women to realize their potentials in resources management so to overcome barriers associated to cultural practices and limited access to financial service. As such we work 5 women groups across four villages of Eastern Serengeti namely Magaiduru, Oldonyowas, Oloiren and Lopolun. Every group has a total number of 10 women who are provided with loans, and entrepreneurship skills. From their sources these groups are keeping commercial goats and cows which are seasonally bought and sold nearing dry season when price are better and promising as a technique adapted as climate resilient. The project involves training group members in sustainable land management practices, water conservation, and other strategies for adapting to a changing climate.
Investing in Maasai Women is Revolutionising Maasai Communities’ Livelihood and Ecosystems
- 200$- Can provide a loan for a woman with emergency situation
- 300$-Can buy cattle for Maasai women group
- 1000$-Can facilitate entrepreneurship training for 2 women groups
- 2000$- Is enough to provide a loan for Maasai women group with 10 individuals
Your highly valued donations shall help us change lives, kindly become one of us, as together we shall meet our Mission.
Main Goal
Majority of Maasai girls are not able to attend to schools due to several factors such as cultural norms, lack of financial support, distanced schools etc. We work to mobilize the Maasai community, local leaders, parents in order to create a supportive environment for girls’ education and provide, opportunities, scholarships and resources for Maasai girls to attend school
Maasai women are often excluded in from economic activities as most they are perceived as domestic chores care takers. Rozalia foundation has been working to provide trainings, skills and resources for Maasai women to start or upgrade their business for the aim of improving their economic status, influence in the community and the livelihood of their households
In order to widen women participation in economic and social development in the community, we operate to raise awareness and promote gender equality through community outreach and education as well as providing legal support to women facing gender-based violence and discrimination.
It is the dedication on dream of our organisation to preserve and promote Maasai cultural heritage through traditional arts, crafts and practices of economic and social interventions which suits Maasai way of life.
Mode of implementation
The team members working with Rozalia Foundation are natives of the Maasai community who understand cultural practices, beliefs, values and general way of life. These are important aspects when engaging and involving Maasai community in project identification and implementation. This is because Maasai people have a unique cultural identity and way of life that revolves around cattle-keeping and have deep respect to for their environment and natural resources which are all vital and central aspects of their livelihoods. In addition, they have a strong sense of community, and decisions are often made through consensus-building among community members. As such, we devote ourselves in involving community leaders and elders in planning and implementation process of our projects for aiming of wining greater acceptance, sense of ownership and community participation.