Here are some of the stories that the women involved in and benefitting from Naserian’s work chose to share, in the hope of enabling others to understand their lives, challenges and achievements and contribute to change, too.

More stories from 2016’s story-telling sessions will be uploaded shortly.

2016

Saleina Nguro

When I got married my husband didn’t have work or any cows. I was dependent on someone bringing food for us. When I got married my father slaughtered goat and helped her, but husband didn’t have food. It was very hard when I had my first born because my husband went away for a month and stayed away a lot. It is difficult because my father chose my husband for me and my husband doesn’t love me. When I had my third child I was looking after someone’s cattle to try to earn money for food. My husband came back after two months and beat me all the time for not giving him food and he didn’t bring any. I tried to go back to my family but they sent me back to my husband. He was a drunkard. After my husband died I was hurting a lot because I had nothing to give my children. I went to my friend’s houses with good husbands who could give me some food secretly without their husbands knowing. I have four children. I look after the cattle in the day and the children in the evening, and I got some food for one month from looking after the other person’s cattle. I also say I have no food for my children and the person let me borrow goats for one month. My goats had kids and then I had six goats. Three of my children have gone to school. I decided to sell goats for the children to go to school and the girls went; the boys decided not to go because there was not enough food. One girl went until grade 7 and got married at 16 because we couldn’t afford to sell more goats for schooling. USA doctors came and helped me, ten years I was sick in my stomach and that was why boys didn’t want to sell goats because I was ill all the time. But now I am better.

I joined Naserian after I heard women talking about the meetings, and at first I thought I didn’t have time to go but the third time I was invited I went. Then I joined Naserian and started to teach the other women about their rights. The first day we contribute some money ourselves and buy three goats and the widows gave me one goat and now I have 10 goats. For years we didn’t know about women’s rights and now I have ideas and the women have changed my ideas and made me better and not think bad things. I hope Naserian continues for a long time and keeps helping with education for girls, and FGM training in more villages.

Leah Loishiye 

For the future I hope that we can get something that can help us overcome climatic challenges, apart from livestock, like grants to buy cattle. They would most like if they can sell goods as transportation is an issue taking things to market. You can put information for everyone to be aware. Got three goats from Naserian but because of climatic conditions they died, they sometimes lack of grass to eat and water to drink.

There were problems, but the goats if they had survived would have helped with her daughter’s education so for the future she’s hoping for something for the children in this village to go to school.

Sinyati Mario

A big problem for me is [having to travel a long way to collect] water. Also, mainly women try to send their girls to school – men ignore girls going to school – so I would like help with ways of earning an income to send my girls to school.

After my husband died, before Naserian started working here, I had lots of problems with other married men ignoring me, herding their cattle on my property and destroying it. It hurts me to tell the story.

I got a goat from Naserian which I am raising and I would like to raise more and it would help if Naserian could help me to get more cattle, too.

 

Anna Abraham

My challenges are that I don’t have a comfortable house for my life, and I don’t have anyone supporting my children and I want them to go to school. As widows we have many challenges, like everybody ignores us and we face challenges from other men. I have seen some changes through this organisation. I got a goat which I’m raising for my children’s lives.

Sinyati Lazaro

Before this organisation I had many challenges and I’m still facing them. This organisation came, after I joined i got two goats. One of them died but one of them survived and I’m still raising it. I have two children who are going to school. After her husband died her children were going to school and she had to buy everything for them so she was very responsible.

After she joined Naserian she got many ideas that she could do many things, to save her children’s lives. I got an idea that we first could look after our goats and raise them. Personally I want Naserian to build a water tank for me at home if they could, and help me to support my child who is still going to school, the others all got married.

Apu Launoni

I am one of the oldest women here [at the meeting in Lendikenya], after my husband passed away I had many challenges. I started to face challenges once I had three children. I still face the problems that I couldn’t have my children go to school, I don’t have a comfortable house for my life, water and transportation. I am getting old and can’t walk and can’t go to buy anything.

I would like Naserian to survive forever in this community and in the rest of the communities I once got a single and now I have two goats so I’m looking forward to raising my goats and getting more. I am still praying for it to survive. Having jewellery, Maasai things, to sell to people if they come through [Naserian’s] groups and other [international] groups.

Naitopuaki Mario

Started having challenges when my husband died, when I had three children. Now I have four. I wasn’t able to give them a chance to go to school as I had nothing to sell to pay school fees and buy the uniform, and I didn’t have a house. Could have missions to build things and people can buy things like jewellery. The children are all at primary school and I got a goat through Naserian but it died.

Naha Lais

I have a child going to school and I’m not able to buy anything like pens, exercise books and I don’t have a good house. Naserian to start anything for selling or for grants to buy beads for jewellery, beans or maize.

Naitayengang Ngariapusi

One of my challenges is that I want to send my child to school and I’m not able to do that and I would like to build a nice house for my life. I hope that there will be changes in my life soon through this organisation.

Nekoko Mario

Born in nearby village, my life so tough, I have children but they don’t go to school, they stay at home. The others are already married and they plant but we don’t reap anything from the farms. Until now my life is so bad. If we don’t have maize when the weather is bad we cannot buy anything, and goats have died too. I want help to change my life, get drugs to treat the animals when they are ill so that they don’t die.

Nongipa Lomniac

My life is still bad today as I don’t have a big farm and we don’t get anything from the farm. I have four children but hey don’t go to school because I’m not able to send them to school. One boy has gone to school and is in form four *mine or name. My husband is a drinks, so my brother and father help me to get food. But from Naserian I got a goat that is still alive and I got drugs for the goat. For the future I would like help with my house and for my children and others to go to school.

Natito Moypan

I went to school, but I stopped in grade 6 when I was 15 and my father took me to my husband. My husband does help me. After that I got children, I have five children but two go to school (grade 2 and 4). I was unable to take the others to school and others are married in their homes and don’t have food. After joining Naserian I got two goats, one has died but the other is still alive and has given lots of kids. I would like to support my children to be able to go to school.

Nailetoy Sainyeye

I didn’t go to school, because my mother died and father didn’t take me. I got married and I now have seven children, two go to primary school. Her first daughter but returned home as she was not happy. I have just joined Naserian and hope to get help to send my children to school.

Nasupat Osendui

I didn’t go to school because my father wasn’t able to send me. I was married at 15 and have four sons. Only one, the youngest, has gone to school as I didn’t have money for uniforms. My husband died and I only have a small farm which doesn’t grow anything because of the weather. I am now joining Naserian and I am hoping to have help to sell jewellery and send my children to school. I would like to have a shop in my home and sell sugar and food.

Bebi Loramatu

I went to school until grade 7 but then stopped because my father didn’t have money. I am married and have two children who do not go to school. My life is not good as I have no cows and only a few goats. I am just joining Naserian. My husband looks after the cattle we have and would like a job but he can’t find one. I would like to get more cattle and a business like a shop to earn money and improve my house.

Noongai

I went to school until grade 7 and failed. Then I got married when I was 17 and now I have three daughters. My children are too young to go to school yet. I don’t have any cows so my life is hard because we don’t have money. My husband doesn’t have a job. I have just joined Naserian and would like help with my house and selling sugar to get money.

Previously collected stories:

“My name is Flora Barinaba. l was marriage under age 17 by men call Barinaba under age 42 that my husband ,l was the 5 wife for my husband and l was the last wife and also l has obtained 7 children’s, that we was working for pastoralism only with my family when l was work with Barinaba l was still home only that l was still received liked independent for someone. So that after my husband was passed a way l has been got terrible, That all my property was taken by some one as in heritage belong to he family.that l has bee got competition for my cattle with my family but we were not successful in all So as we were thinking to get good managed for our property so l has been not provided well, Thing that l were still thinking about the Right for the women and girl as l was didn’t know it for the women As l was felled for that Human right for the women and Girl That why? all maasai girl are putting to get Force marriage by older men and selling girl for the a lot of cow. And also l has didn’t saw the contributions for the widow in the front of community that widows had side of hiding for the community like cooling or quit. l heard Naserian from the Bahai’s friend …so Alais invited me in the Naserian and l went to there then met Group of community with ladies and Mibaku and Alais. l was learning a lot from Naserian as is the organizations for the Widow and seen the Goal of Naserian That is very successful for the Widows That l wanted to know So l has been learn from Naserian about human right for the women as l had trained on February 2011 in Monduli and l was trained about Daily reference of Guide of the girl in December 2011 that it was the Refresh from other Ladies in Naserian. So that l has been seen ability for the women and that l had raise capacity and l develop Talent in mine this l have been learned a lot through Naserian and l had seen Growing in social actions and economical l have thank a lot for this Organizations.”
 Flora Barinaba.

“My name is Nanga’ai Esoto. L was marriage under age 19 by men call Esoto under age 45. l was the fourth wife for my husband l has been succeed for 6 children’s 2girl and 4boys and l was work for pastoralism and small farmer that l was kept well for husband. After my husband passed away l has been got a lot of problem is that, l was got terrible for my farmer, and l was got terrible for the some 15 cow and 5 goat as taken by son of my husband of the other wife to agree to belong to he, and l was got felled to send my children to school so as l was wanted to send, and l was got competitions from the other family as they has managed to selling my ladies, and l were still in house of someone call leplali that he is the Brother in law, he has been able to provide my family such as food, clothe. Because l was agree to left someone who was taken my all property after seen that l were not succeed to return my farmer So that l was migrated to Boma of Leplali brother in law. l was try to do cultivate that l wanted to provided my family But l was felled for this because l was didn’t has some capital to raise farmer so l was still cultivated a small farmer that is not enough to provide my family, that l has wanted to moved from independent went to the process of Dependent themselves. l heard Naserian on 2010 from other Ladies During the meeting of whole community That naserian is organizations for maasai widow so l was surprise for this wonderful and is new greats,l were still got informations about Naserian through activities of ladies l were seen that is wonderful to heard this. l was got training of the Human right on February 2011 in monduli and l were shared raining about Daily reference of Guide of the Girl and development for the women on December 2011 and l were seen a lot of changes after shared or trained to other Ladies in villages as l were build capacity from Naserian and l has still know a lot about Human right for Women and girl and development of women in maasai,these was wonderful new through Naserian. So as am so happy for this progress for the women.”
Nanga’ai Esoto

“My name is Naiyo Lellia. L was marriage under age 16 by men call lellia who under age 38, l was the first wife among of 3 wife for my husband, l has obtained 6 children. So that we was send with my husband 2 children to school one girl and one boy to primary school until has finished primar., After my husband was passed a way. So l was try to provide family but l were suddenly another family was arrived in my house then they are agree without my contribution for my property. So they has been agree to manages my property to be belong for other family in law. So l were felled to provide my family in well as l has been felled to send that one girl and one boy to secondary school so as l were planned to provide them to raise them build capacity. l was try to consulted with some people about it But l has not succeed. That why they has been note my view and my ideas that what l were told about. So l were put in mind that all women they do not have voice or speak in community. l was try to left to started new life with my family but l were continuous received some assistance effort such as Food , Clothe and some 4cow to milk from my Father, so for the moment l were return that 2 cow to father family and to remained as my assistance from my father is help me 2 cow. l was heard Nasrian on 2010 l was continuous learning from Naserian a lot That is wonderful to heard this organization for the maasai widows as Naserian still Build ladies capacity and so on,l were learn from Naserian Right for the Women and Girl and development of the women this. l has been trained on February 2011 and December 2011. So that am certain about Naserian a lot and l were seen my develop in social and economical. So am experienced from Naserian and l had a lot of good change And good planned this has learning Through this organization. And this l has learning to provide my family as well and l will learn a lot from Naserian. Big Greats new.”
Naiyo Lellia

“My name is Nairuko Saruni. l was marriage under age 20 by men call saruni who under age 51 and l were the 6 wife for saruni. l have 7 children’s. My husband were provide my family as well. We’re working for pastoralism only and my husband were still working for some business of bought same cow then were selling For my l was working to herding cattle to found good green Grazer to taken cow as so far. So after husband was passed away, l was remained for 10 cow and 9 Goat and 1 sheep. So that my Property kept at Son of My husband so this was agreement from Another clan to send to he to be kept instead of protect. Thing that is seen that is not well Because l has ability to kept well with my family. I was saw that this is the luck of Educations and this l were do not know well importance of Education and saw that all my property is belong to someone. This is some terrible thing to Managed my plan then suddenly is broken. And l didn’t know well about Right for women in all. I hear Naserian on 2010 so l had learn a lot from Naserian that l were trained on February 2011 about Human Right and Daily reference of Guide of Girl has shared as refresh course in village and this was saw a lot of good change and Naserian has provide to focus and plan. That all l has view is very successful in Naserian and Naserian l has got experience of Build capacity and to build to other people and Develop our talent am so exciting for this ability work.
l have learn a lot and l will learn more through Naserian.”
Nairuko Saruni