Solar Lights for Women's Empowerment

The Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust is pleased to report on some exciting news that has evolved over the past few months as a result of an exciting collaboration. The organization New Course has donated 300 portable solar lanterns (produced by MPOWERED) to MWCT. New Course is an organization seeking to empower women around the world through innovative programs in "conservation, sustainability, and poverty alleviation".

Conservation Manager, Lana Muller, and well as MWCT Outreach Officer, Joseph Lariumbe,
together with the one of the women's groups from Iltilal

The lights, named "Luci Lights" are elegant, light-weight, maintenance free, and waterproof solar lights that are easy-to-use, and of high quality!

Demonstration of how the lights work and how to best care for them

The distribution of the donation will be to women's groups across Kuku Group Ranch. Currently, most Maasai women are buying kerosene for lighting in their homes. Not only is this an expensive investment, it is also very damaging and harmful to their health of the family living inside the home.

The women receiving their lights and testing them out!

The women are given the offer to receive a Luci Light, if they agree to contribute 50% of the money that they will save on fuel on a monthly basis, to the women groups. This money will be used by the group to start their own enterprise (ie. selling beads, purchasing energy efficient cooking stoves, etc.)

MWCT has organized meetings with 7 women's groups of 5 different villages on Kuku Group Ranch to introduce the lights to the community. The villages visited thus far have been: Iltilal, Kuku, Langata, Olorike, and Ilchalai.

Very grateful for their lights!

There is tremendous enthusiasm amongst the women in the communities across Kuku Group Ranch that have taken part in this project thus far. The lights are benefiting them in sustainable and tangible ways; mothers can breast feed at night, children are able to study at home in the evening, and health benefits are improving as they are not producing smoke such as their kerosene lamps.

Women testing out their lights

These lamps have helped thousands of people around the world, and are now having a wonderfully positive impact on the Maasai community of Kuku Group Ranch. 

Further, the lights have also been distributed to 8 MWCT Community Ranger sectors. Each sector has received two lights to improve their living conditions and promote the light project in the community. The rangers are all very positive about the change with the lights, and many have request to get a Luci Light for their wife at home. Any woman part of a women's group on Kuku Group Ranch will have the opportunity to purchase a light.

The Treasurer of one of the Iltilal Women's Group counting their savings

Please visit MPOWERED's website at https://www.mpowered.com to learn more about these solar lights. We look forward to continue to update you on the progress of the distribution of these lights!

Luci Solar Lights distribution across Kuku Group Ranch. Orange Luci Lights pictograms show locations of women group Luci Lights project; Green Luci Light pictograms show position of ranger teams with Luci Lights.

Health Program Update - Trachoma Campaign and Bead Project

Greetings from Kuku Group Ranch! Our Health Program continued its' busy efforts for the month of October. More specifically with a focus on the Trachoma Campaign.

Children que while distribution of Trachoma prevention drugs takes place

The Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust was integral in making the Ministry of Health's Trachoma Campaign a success. Trachoma is an infectious eye disease that can cause blindness if it is not treated in its' early stages.

From October 28 - November 2, MWCT health staff organized outreaches with our ambulance to villages of Samai and Enkusero, Moilo, Singila, and Campi ya Kanzi/Chyulu Hills Conservation and Research Centre (CCRC) to ensure the communities received appropriate drugs to prevent trachoma. 

A very successful campaign!

As a result, we exceeded the target set by the Ministry of Health and provided trachoma drugs to 3300 people in the Iltilal catchment area. What a success!

Another exciting update for MWCT, is the initiation of a new Bead Project. This income generating project has been initiated in collaboration with Campi ya Kanzi to benefit local Maasai women.

Women involved in the beads project

 Every guest from Campi ya Kanzi will receive a beaded bracelet made by women from throughout Kuku Group Ranch.  This project will also aim to improve access to an uptake of reproductive health services, and reinforce public health messages during women group meetings

A bracelet made by a local Maasai woman

MWCT's Community Involvement

Often this blog details the dedicated work of MWCT's three main programs in Conservation, Health, and Education, but it is important to remember one of the pillars of everything MWCT does: our involvement with the local Maasai community.  The Maasai of Kuku Group Ranch are the reason we exist, and they make our daily work worth doing.  In the past few months we've been honored to be involved in several important community events, providing excellent opportunities to remember why we do the work we do.

Three members of the Langata women's group display their beaded jewelry.

We've already detailed our adventures at the First Annual Maasai Olympics here, here, and here, and written about a celebration of a young women's group here.  We've also been encouraging the work of a women's group in Langata Village that has been crafting beautiful beaded jewelry.  Formed in 2009 when severe drought killed crops and forced families to search for alternative revenue, the group consists mainly of older women.  Our eco-tourism partner Campi ya Kanzi has graciously offered to help sell this jewelry in their gift shop, supporting the efforts of these local Maasai artists.

Village elders bless young women taking part in an alternative right-of-passage ceremony.

MWCT also collaborated with AMREF to sponsor a three-day workshop in Iltilal Village exploring alternatives to the traditional right-of-passage ceremony for young women, which involves female circumcision.  Over 200 young girls attended the workshop, where the dangers of circumcision were outlined and an alternative ceremony proposed.  On the third day this ceremony was held, with the entire Maasai community participating and the village elders blessing the young women.

Samson leading the community barazaa and explaining the new ambulance.

Finally, MWCT held a barazaa (community meeting) to announce the arrival of an important new part of the Health Program - an ambulance!  Nicknamed Anna (after its donor, Anna Kulidjian), this ambulance greatly expands the reach of our medical capabilities, and will allow for rapid transport of very sick patients, something that was previously impossible.  Samson presented the vehicale to the community and explained how it will be used; to cover costs and instill a sense of community ownership, there will be a small fee for emergency use.  It was well-received, and the Maasai are very happy with this new convenience.

A Community Health Worker examines our new ambulance.