Working with The Maa Trust to empower women

The Maa Trust is an Asilia Positive Impact implementing partner, working with community-owned conservancies in the Masai Mara in Kenya. The organisation works to increase the benefits of wildlife and conservation to Maasai families, and empower local people by promoting small business startups to increase development.

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The Maa Trust team has spent years going door-to-door asking thousands of people for their views, needs and aspirations. Taking an evidence-based approach, The Trust listens carefully to what local community members say, think and ask for to help improve livelihoods. As a result, support comes from in the form of what communities and their members need to thrive, rather than what a donor wants to give. By directing funding appropriately, and ensuring projects are set up and handed over in a sustainable manner, The Maa Trust approaches development in and thoughtful and sustainable manner: helping people to help themselves.

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​The Maa Trust empowers local people by promoting small business startups & micro finance schemes, enabling them to make their own money and to invest in their family’s development. Asilia is proud to suppor two of these projects: Maa Honey and Maa Beadwork. Maa Beadwork is the Trust’s largest income generating programme for women, and currently employs 579 women who craft beautiful beadwork that is sold at camps within the Mara Conservancies and ethical shops around the world. From the income generated, women are able to improve the lives of their families by providing clean water, install a solar power system to provide lighting for homework and enabling children who previously could not afford to go to school, to start their education.

Like Asilia, The Maa Trust believes that education is a key to the success of the Mara Conservancies and to the survival of this world-famous ecosystem. In collaboration with donor organisations like Asilia, The Maa Trust builds classrooms and dormitories with electricity and clean water; connects children in need with scholarship and bursary sponsors; and organises conservation education for students and teachers.

This Giving Tuesday, for every special voucher claimed, Asilia is doubling your impact by matching your safari conservation fee of US$5 per night, per person and donating 100% of proceeds to support The Maa Trust. To learn more, enquire here.