Inside Our New Safe House for Maasai Girls
Twelve girls stand in front of the Safe House — but not long ago, these same girls faced something very different.
Each one was in immediate danger of female genital cutting and/or being forced into an early marriage. Today, they sleep peacefully, study by solar light in the evenings, and are preparing for school in 2026 with hope and confidence.
This is what your support is making possible — right now.
Community Education Is Working
Last fall, our Maasai Warriors and local healthcare team led education sessions in four villages, focused on the dangers of female cutting and early marriage. These classes reached 180 families.
The result was remarkable.
Sixty-seven families who had planned a December 2025 cutting abandoned those plans after the sessions. Seven families remained firm in their decision — and those seven girls came directly to our Safe House.
On Christmas, five of their mothers visited. Each expressed deep gratitude and relief that her daughter was now safe from cutting and early marriage.
Because change takes time, we are continuing these education classes twice a month in the same four villages, as well as an additional four villages, in advance of the next “cutting season” in June.
Prevention and protection go hand in hand.
The Safe House: Protection Today and Tomorrow
The Safe House is more than a shelter — it is a place of healing, safety, and possibility.
The girls will live here until boarding schools resume at the end of January. But the doors will remain open year-round, ready for the next cutting season in June 2026 and beyond for girls escaping abuse at any time.
For these girls, the Safe House is the difference between fear and freedom.
Education Is Secured
Because of your generosity, 20 Maasai girls who lack the economic means to attend school will enroll in government secondary boarding schools in 2026 through the Health & Hope Student Scholarship.
Your donation covers:
- School fees
- Uniforms
- Boarding supplies
- Personal needs for all four years of school
(Yes — including the very “usual” items like grass slashers, latrine squeegees, and utility knives!)
Even better, all uniforms and supplies are being purchased from our Maasai woman-owned Nainokanoka Village Store, ensuring your support strengthens a local business, her extended family, and the wider community.
Education becomes not just access, but economic empowerment.
Building Confidence Through Language
Because all secondary classes are taught in English — the girls’ third language — preparation is essential.
Right now, our scholarship girls are completing a 12-day intensive English course on-site. We hired two of their future secondary school teachers (one woman and one man) to:
- Introduce all academic subjects
- Teach classroom expectations
- Build confidence in spoken and written English
They are learning not just the language, but how to succeed in secondary school.
Thank You for Changing Lives
Because of you, girls who once lived in fear now live with safety, dignity, and a future full of possibilities.
This is what hope looks like — one girl, one family, one village at a time.
Asante sana — thank you for standing with them.
