Transforming Girls Education in the Maasai Community
From being the first one to graduate with a university degree to leading transformation in the entire community. How the BA in Governance and Development led Naomi to establish the OMOM Maasai Community Foundation.
Raised among the Maasai communities in Simanjiro, Tanzania, deeply embeded in the patrichal culture, Naomi experienced firsthand the complexities of gender inequality, restricted women's access to fundamental resources and decision-making power, constraining their social and economic potential. Over the years, these barriers remained unchanged, especially for girls in pursuit of their education, owing to traditional practices and limited access to schools.
Naomi's admission to the Bachelor of Arts in Governance and Development became a turning point not just in her personal life but to her community at large. After graduating with the 15th cohort, Naomi became the first woman to earn a university degree in her community and started a movement to advocate for the gendered inequalities in her community.
“MSTCDC has laid a great foundation for my growth, allowing me to practice my leadership skills as a student leader. The supportive environment, along with exceptional facilitators, encouraged and inspired me a lot. It was through MS TCDC that I discovered my purpose to serve my community”, says Naomi
In 2021, she registered her organisation named OMOM Maasai Community Foundation, where through it she is promoting and supporting initiatives focused on education, women's empowerment and environmental conservation. Through OMOM, several girls living in vurlnarable enironment have received scholarships, learning materials, mentorship and a safe space during school breaks, addressing some of the systemic barriers that often force young girls to drop out.
Learning holds the transformative power to create a ripple effect of positive change, impacting not just individuals but entire communities. Naomi's journey exemplifies that for knowledge to truly make a difference, it must be adapted and integrated into the specific context of the community. Naomi's bigger vision is to develop a fully fledged education institution that will offer free education and empower the Maasai Community.
At MS TCDC, we are proud to celebrate the achievement of our alumna, Naomi Koinase, whose passion for leadership is transforming education and livelihoods for young women in her community. Her work affirms our mission to develop the capacity of young poele to become transfomrative leaders in their communities and beyond.