Too often, white western feminists have, in the name of human rights, been disrespectful of the opinions, needs and strategies of women in developing countries. Issues of female genital mutilation (FGM), for example, have been taken on by some white western feminists, often without seeking the input of women activists on the ground.

A different example is set by Maasai Women Against Violence Development Organization. I had the opportunity to sit down with Leah Moiko Sopiato, who founded the group, to learn more about the program. Leah is a member of the Maasai community in Kenya, the only tribe in the country that practices FGM. As a 12-year old girl, she refused to undergo the procedure, and was ostracized in her family and school as a result. Leah left for high school and then college, and then returned to her community, determined to address the many issues that girls are facing.

To Leah, FGM is one of several intersecting issues impacting girls in the Maasai community. When girls as young as 9 undergo the process, she has seen this as not only a violation of human rights, but also a “hindrance to their education.” Girls are viewed as women after the procedure, and often drop out of school, either to be married off to men of their father’s age, or due to early unwanted pregnancies. Girls who refuse FGM, in some cases, are denied access to school and are taken as outcasts in the society. So the primary goals of Maasai Women Against Violence are to rescue girls from female genital mutilation and early marriages, and help them access an education. Leah talks with family members, from the perspective of a community member, about the importance of girls’ education, and she has set up peer clubs, workshops and discussions for women about the need for education for girls.

She says these conversations go well, for one reason: she is from the community, and therefore can relate to the families she speaks with. She has helped many girls go to school, to promote their independence in the community.

Leah recognized that women in her community are “exposed to very little or no formal education, and are unable to access employment. The only income-generating activity they can engage in is beadwork (the making of Maasai artifacts).” Because of their economic instability, women do not participate in decision- making at either the family level or the community at large. Empowering women economically strengthens their participation in decision-making structures. So Leah began a program for the women to create and sell beadwork. Funds made go to women in the community, and a percentage also goes to support girls’ access to education. She is raising funds now to build a house that can serve as a shelter for girls fleeing FGM, and also for opportunities to bring girls together to share their experiences and learn from one another.

To Leah, this approach is very different from the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) she sees in Kenya. She describes these as addressing the issue from their own perspective, without bothering to learn the perspective of the people from the community. Often, she hears about an NGO but has never seen them step foot in the Maasai community. These NGOs use a top-down approach. “Decisions are made at the top and are imposed on the people. The development agencies assume that they have the answers to all issues affecting the people and so they come up with approaches without the participation of the community.”

Here at Women & Girls CAN, we are trying to promote a different kind of feminism than that set out by the NGOs Leah is describing – one that does not assume there is one way to approach social justice for women and girls, and one that begins on a community level and is led by the people most impacted by an issue. The work of Maasai Women Against Violence Development Organization is a great example.

To find out more about their work, or to make a donation, email Leah at lsopiato@hotmail.com.

Posted by: Melissa Spatz