The story of a struggling Maasai Girl to get education and change society

My name is Natoiwok Teresia Saetwa, and I was born in Orbil village in Simanjiro District, Manyara region, in northern Tanzania. My home is in the heart of Maasai land, where our people have lived a traditional, nomadic lifestyle for centuries. We reside in bomas, enclosed kraals where generations of my ancestors have lived, tending to their cattle and living in harmony with nature. Our way of life is deeply rooted in tradition, and it is this strong connection to our past that makes my people so resistant to change, even as the world around us evolves.

From the moment I was born, my path in life seemed set by the traditions of my people. At just six months old, I was adopted by another mother within my extended family. Adoption among the Maasai is a way to ensure that children are cared for within the bloodline, especially when a family member has few or no children. But my adoption was different. My biological mother was one of seven wives, and when her husband discovered that I was not his biological child, he gave me away to his half-sister, who had only one son. I was too young to understand what was happening, and I grew up believing this woman was my real mother. She loved me as her own, but I couldn’t escape the feeling that I didn’t truly belong.

As I grew older, the weight of Maasai traditions began to press down on me. Like all Maasai girls, I was expected to help with the family’s livestock, fetch water, and collect firewood. These were my duties, and they left little time for anything else. But deep down, I longed for something more. When I was ten years old, the first school in our village opened its doors. It was a small, humble building, but to me, it was a beacon of hope. I begged my mother to let me attend, and by some miracle, she agreed.

School became my sanctuary. I excelled in my studies, always finishing at the top of my class. But even as I thrived academically, I couldn’t escape the realities of my culture. I knew that my future was not mine to control. From the age of twelve, a suitor had already been chosen for me—a man who was much older and who already had other wives. The day would come when I would be forced to leave school and marry him, to become just another wife in his household. The thought filled me with dread, but what could I do? I was just a girl, and my fate seemed sealed.

The hardest moment came when I was in Form Two. Like every Maasai girl, I was subjected to female genital mutilation, a practice that is seen as a rite of passage into womanhood. The pain was excruciating, both physically and emotionally. I didn’t want this, but I had no choice. It was what was expected of me. In that moment, I felt so small, so powerless, like a bird trapped in a cage. But despite everything, I refused to give up on my dreams. I knew education was my only way out. After primary school, I was lucky enough to be supported by the Maasai Women Development Organization (MWEDO), which helped me continue my education. I studied hard, knowing that failure would mean returning to the village and an unwanted marriage. But even after completing high school, my struggles were far from over.

As I was focused on science subjects, which eventually led to my acceptance into university for a degree in Business Administration with Accounting, I was overjoyed, but my happiness was short-lived. My family couldn’t afford the fees, and I faced the terrifying prospect of dropping out. I knocked on every door I could find, pleading for help, but most of those doors remained closed. The few that did open offered only small, temporary relief. There were times when I didn’t know where my next meal would come from, or where I would sleep. I felt so alone, constantly on the brink of giving up, yet somehow, I found the strength to keep going.

After earning my degree, I interned at Arusha University and began applying for scholarships for a Master’s degree. I was fortunate to find a German organization willing to sponsor my MA in Social Science, focusing on Project Planning and Management. When I finally graduated my second degree, I knew I had beaten the odds, but the victory felt bittersweet. I thought of all the other Maasai girls who were not as lucky as I was, girls who never got the chance to go to school, who were married off as children, and who had their futures stolen from them.

This deep sense of sorrow and responsibility led me to create Maasai Women Blazing Trails (MWBT), a non-profit organization dedicated to helping Maasai girls and women. I want to be the voice for those who have none, to fight for their right to an education, to choose their own paths in life, and to live free from harmful practices like female genital mutilation. Every time I think of the girls in my village, my heart aches. I know what it’s like to feel trapped, to feel that your life is not your own. But I also know that change is possible. I want to give these girls the hope that was given to me, to show them that they can dream, and that those dreams can come true. Together, we can break the cycle of oppression and create a future where every Maasai girl has the chance to be more than what tradition dictates—a future where she can be anything she wants to be.

The board of the Maasai Women Blazing Trails organization is created as the heart of the organization to achieve its goals for the target community.

Director & Board Members