{"id":2117,"date":"2025-07-21T19:32:03","date_gmt":"2025-07-21T19:32:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/twala\/who-we-are\/"},"modified":"2025-10-18T07:55:01","modified_gmt":"2025-10-18T07:55:01","slug":"what-we-do","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/twalatenebowomen.org\/twala\/what-we-do\/","title":{"rendered":"What We do"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The bell has rung for change:<\/h4>
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We support Maasai women and youth to reach their full potential.<\/h1><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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What We Do<\/h2><\/div>
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01.<\/h5>

\u2014 We Find & Fund<\/h3><\/div>

By pooling our resources through a cooperative of over 200 women, we establish and operate sustainable businesses. The income from these enterprises directly funds community needs, empowering women and improving livelihoods in the semi-arid Laikipia plateau. <\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

02.<\/h5>

\u2014 We Build Networks<\/h3><\/div>

We build connections with like-minded conservation organizations and international partners. These relationships provide critical resources, training, and a global market for our products, helping us grow and build capacity for our women leaders.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

03.<\/h5>

\u2014 We Strengthen<\/h3><\/div>

Through collective action and shared resources, we strengthen our economic independence. Our various sub-groups engage in different economic activities, allowing us to build financial resilience and provide for our families.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

04.<\/h5>

\u2014 We Educate\u200b<\/h3><\/div>

We believe in the power of education to transform lives. A portion of the proceeds from our enterprises is dedicated to supporting girls’ education. We provide funding for school fees and have helped establish a girls’ boarding block at Il Polei Secondary School<\/a>, enabling young women to complete their education and avoid early marriage.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

05.<\/h5>

\u2014 We Provide Care\u200b<\/h3><\/div>

Our collective supports vulnerable members of the community, including abused girls and elderly women who lack a source of income. We offer a safe haven and support network, ensuring that all women have dignity and protection.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

06.<\/h5>

\u2014 We Consult\u200b<\/h3><\/div>

We offer our expertise in authentic Maasai culture, sustainable ecotourism, and environmental conservation. As an owner-operated cultural center, we consult with partners and visitors, offering them unique, culturally-immersive experiences that foster respect for our traditions and land.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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What We Care For!<\/h2><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Twala<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Breaking Barriers through Education<\/strong><\/h5>

Our work with the local girls’ school at Il Polei is at the heart of our mission. By investing a portion of our beadwork and ecotourism income, we help fund educational opportunities for young Maasai women. We are proud to support girls in completing their studies, helping them avoid early marriages and empowering them to become leaders of their own futures.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Twala<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
A Safe Haven for Vulnerable Girls<\/strong><\/h5>

We provide a refuge for abused and vulnerable girls in our community. Within our manyatta, we offer these young women a safe space to heal, grow, and continue their education, ensuring they are protected and nurtured. We also extend our support to elderly women with no other source of income, providing care and ensuring they live with dignity.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Twala<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
A Model for Sustainable Living<\/strong><\/h5>

The semi-arid Laikipia ecosystem is our home, and we are committed to living in harmony with it. Our enterprises, from aloe and honey production to ecotourism, are designed to be sustainable. We care for our land and the wildlife that share it with us. Our baboon walks and cultural tours educate visitors on our traditions and the importance of coexistence, ensuring the preservation of our natural heritage for generations to come.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Twala<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
The power of a collective voice<\/strong><\/h5>

In a deeply patriarchal society, our cooperative gives Maasai women a powerful, collective voice. By working together, we’ve gained a platform to challenge traditional norms and build confidence within our community. The success of our businesses demonstrates that women can be economic leaders, inspiring our daughters to pursue their own paths and empowering all women to find strength in unity.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Twala<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Managing Land Sustainably<\/strong><\/h5>

Through innovative approaches like “Earth Smiles” and managed grazing, we are restoring degraded rangelands and improving biodiversity. By harvesting and selling indigenous grass seeds, we not only generate income but also help reseed other degraded areas, improving soil quality and increasing forage for both livestock and wildlife.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Twala<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Innovative Food and Income Sources<\/strong>\u200b<\/h5>

In response to climate change and drought, we have diversified into new, low-impact ventures. Our cricket-rearing project provides an additional source of income and a protein-rich food source that requires very little land or water. These enterprises move us away from total dependence on livestock, increasing our resilience in the face of a changing climate.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Breaking Barriers through Education Our work with the local girls’ school at Il Polei is at the heart of our mission. By investing a portion of our beadwork and ecotourism income, we help fund educational opportunities for young Maasai women. We are proud to support girls in completing their studies, helping them avoid early marriages […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"page-builder","ast-site-content-layout":"full-width-container","site-content-style":"unboxed","site-sidebar-style":"unboxed","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2117","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"campaignId":"","uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false,"woocommerce_thumbnail":false,"woocommerce_single":false,"woocommerce_gallery_thumbnail":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"twala","author_link":"https:\/\/twalatenebowomen.org\/twala\/author\/twala\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Breaking Barriers through Education Our work with the local girls’ school at Il Polei is at the heart of our mission. By investing a portion of our beadwork and ecotourism income, we help fund educational opportunities for young Maasai women. 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