Partner Project
Combating FGM and Child Marriage in Maasai Communities
WECO has partnered with the Tepesua CBO to holistically address female genital mutilation (FGM) through education and income-generation for Maasai girls and women living in poverty.
Founded by Hellen Nkuriaya in 2015, the Tepesua CBO sponsors rescued Maasai girls at risk of FGM and child marriage so they can continue their education through the Tepesua school complex and beyond. Through partnerships with secondary schools and education organizations, the Tepesua CBO is ensuring underserved and under resourced children have educational pathways from primary to university school.
In addition to educational programs, the CBO supports social enterprise projects for women who are survivors of FGM and child marriage, providing a range of vocational and income-generating initiatives that support the school operations and create financial independence for women.
Partner Project
Maintaining Cultural Traditions While Empowering Girls
Although it has been banned for over a decade, FGM is still widely practiced in rural and tribal communities, and child marriage through trading young girls in exchange for livestock is a regular practice. Since wives are often much younger than their husbands, they are often left widowed, and women do not have a right to own (or inherit) any property. As a result, teenage widows with children are left with no home or means to survive. They are typically uneducated and unable to find work, leading to further poverty for themselves and their families.
The Tepesua CBO is creating opportunities for women who were widowed at a young age, so they can earn a livable income through various kinds of vocational work. This income enables the women to feed themselves and their children as well as invest in their children’s futures.
The Tepesua camp also delicately balances maintaining and celebrating the Maasai culture while simultaneously advocating to counteract cultural practices that are harmful to women and girls. Speaking out against gender violence and discrimination is extremely difficult in traditional communities such as the Maasai, but Hellen and her team continue to make incredible strides in the fight for gender equity.
Learn more about these programs here.
Partner Project
Educating At-Risk Girls and Expanding Women’s Vocational Opportunities
WECO partnered with the Tepesua CBO in March 2024 to support the team in constructing 2 additional classrooms for the Tepesua School Complex, so the school can welcome an additional 60+ children. We additionally provided classroom supplies for the school, held an arts and crafts class, and distributed period underwear donated by our partners at Saalt during our June 2024 visit. For the widows’ village, we supplied two overlock sewing machines and provided funds for two female goats for the social enterprise. Read more about our 2024 visit here.
In 2025, we expanded a community farm initiative for the widows’ village and the school, as a means to both feed the Tepesua community as well as generate additional income from selling surplus produce at the market. We additionally focused on building out a mentorship program for junior secondary girls, to help them stay on track for academic success through critical peer-to-peer support. Learn more about these programs here.
In August 2025, our volunteer team traveled to Tepesua to work alongside the team for a week, digging swales for the farm, planting trees, painting the classrooms, and holding another arts and crafts class for the students of Tepesua. Read more about our trip here (coming soon!).
Mentorship + Training
We will be raising funds moving forward to support the Tepesua CBO with:
- Trainings for the community in sustainable agriculture, to ensure the longevity and success of the farm project
- Stipends for the ‘next generation’ of the Tepesua CBO, so Hellen’s team can properly manage the farm project, mentorship program, and daily operations of the CBO
- Continuing to expand the mentorship program, so junior secondary girls have the support they need to access and be eligible for educational programs that enable them to reach their full potential.
- Sponsorships for girls’ school fees so their expenses are covered for one year
For more information, please review our volunteer resource page or reach out to us through our contact form.
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