Education is the Solution - Heart of Africa Foundation

“If you educate a man, you educate an individual. But if you educate a woman, you educate a nation.”

– African Proverb

Investing in educating girls significantly and positively impacts our families, communities, and nations. Girls from all over the world hold the key to our most pressing challenges, from climate change to economic sustainability. Educating our girls and women is imperative.

Women in Maasai Culture

Maasai traditions play a significant role in the educational challenges girls face. These traditions, poverty, ignorance, and the preference for boys, all contribute to their lack of education.

Marriage is an integral part of the Maasai culture, with young women having no say in who they will marry. Early and forced marriages are still common in rural areas. The union brings wealth to the family as cows are used as a dowery.

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a long-standing practice deeply rooted in tradition and practiced in rural Maasai villages. While FGM is outlawed in Tanzania, many parents still force their girls to undergo FGM. They incorrectly believe it will avoid teenage pregnancies and increase their marriageability. Typically, Maasai girls are circumcised between ages 8-12 and then soon married to a man chosen by her father in exchange for cattle. As a young Maasai boy, Frank has seen the consequences of FGM and early marriage on girls in his primary school. Not only does FGM harm girls personally, physically, and psychologically, it also heavily impacts economic development.

Girls who marry early are often forced to leave school and end their education. They will likely never return to school after marriage because of household chores, frequent pregnancies, child-rearing, and other restrictions. Besides, many parents do not see the immediate benefits of an education.

Heart of Africa Foundation’s Commitment to Education

We are exploring innovative ways to overcome educational and social barriers and create the momentum needed to make lasting change. To help improve girls’ educational choices, we will engage the custodians of tradition and culture: elders, community, and spiritual leaders, elected leaders, youth, and Maasai warriors through training and sustained dialogue.

They are the primary decision-makers and wield power and influence to control their girls’ future. We are determined to find and cultivate such local leaders and to have these conversations with them. We strongly believe that by educating these critical stakeholders, we can better ensure that Maasai girls will have consistent education access.

We stand for the girls and women of Tanzania to have access to education, freedom of choice, a voice to be heard, and a future of their design. We hope you will stand with us.

“If you educate a man, you educate an individual. But if you educate a woman, you educate a nation.”

– African Proverb

Women in Maasai Culture

Heart of Africa Foundation’s Commitment to Education

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