Women's Cooperatives Empower Maasai Women

In traditional Maasai communities the main economic activity is raising livestock, but Maasai women are culturally not allowed to own livestock and are expected to depend entirely on the men for their survival.  They rarely finish grammar school and are usually married in their teens.  The establishment of Women’s Cooperatives in these communities has helped to empower the women and facilitates their financial independence.  These cooperatives also help women to become more self-assured and have helped them find their voice so they can contribute to village meetings on social, cultural, economic and political affairs.  The Maasai women who are involved in the cooperatives have become role models to other women in their community.

Directly outside of Tarangire National Park is a Massai Women’s Cooperative where women work together making traditional beaded jewelry and woven baskets.   By pooling their resources, the women are able to sustain their own business and also establish a sustainable business community.  The NGO that started this cooperative provides the women artisans with financial and management support through a series of initiatives including creating direct market linkages for the products they make by coordinating the sales of these products to retailers and on-line stores around the world.  They also help to finance cash flow by providing upfront micro-loans for the production of high quality goods and hands on training in basic business skills such as new product development, strategic planning, bookkeeping, marketing, and quality control.

Now that Maasai women have their own business center life is much easier for them. They have a stable market that enables them to budget and maintain financial control over their lives.  Many of the women have used some of their profits to set up other small income-generating businesses and their success has given them access to bank credit so that they can further expand.   Not only are they learning new skills, but they are educating their children and look forward to a brighter future.