"Umoja" means "unity". The village of Umoja, located in the heart of the Samburu region in Kenya, was founded in 1990 by Rebecca Lolosoli as Africa's first women's village and continues to offer its residents and their children protection from violence and oppression to this day. At the same time, the women of Umoja are making a significant contribution to the development of the entire region with their pioneering projects.
They have been supported in this endeavor since 2015 by by Freundeskreis Umoja - Friens of Umoja e.V.
Our philosophy
We align our actions with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
We support projects planned and implemented independently by the Umoja women.
Education and vocational training
The women in Umoja recognized early on that education is the key to a better future for their children. With the P+7 sponsorship project, we finance the staff and maintenance of the village school, where children are taught until the end of 9th grade. We have set up a scholarship program for the subsequent grades 10-12.
Food security
All children receive two meals a day at school. In the rural Samburu region, this is an incentive for parents to send their children to school. For some children, school meals are their only regular source of food.
Women's and human rights
The Umoja women tirelessly hold workshops in which they educate people about women's and human rights. They highlight the injustice of domestic violence, genital mutilation, early marriage, and forced marriage.
Income
The Umoja women have established a modest economic base. They produce and sell jewelry, grow vegetables, operate their own campground, and are now also starting to raise poultry and produce dairy products.
Our passion project P+7
Sponsorships for children are nothing new. Our founding chairwoman, Ise Stockums, has further developed the concept by linking the children's education with other goals. These include, in particular, overcoming traditional practices of the Samburu tribe. In addition to school education, the children are taught about equality and learn about their human rights.
Friends of Umoja runs a sponsorship project for the nine years of schooling. The sponsors cover the costs of schooling for children whose parents cannot afford the school fees. In return, the parents undertake to refrain from genital mutilation, early marriage, and forced marriage. The contributions from the class sponsorships are used to finance the salaries of the school staff and part of the school maintenance costs.
Please support us in this project.
