The Pastoral Women’s Council (PWC) is a membership-based organization founded by 10 indigenous Maasai women. Its mission is to empower indigenous pastoralist and agropastoralist women and girls by protecting their rights, building economic power, and ensuring access to quality social services. PWC has awarded 2,000 scholarships to at-risk girls and has created a mobile app that allows communities to report violence against children and girls. It also operates a school for more than 290 pastoralist girls who are often excluded from attending public school. Annually, PWC’s programming reaches more than 3,500 girls.
In Northern Tanzania, indigenous pastoralist girls are often forced into marriage and unable to complete schooling, leaving them vulnerable to gender-based violence and economic dependence. Girls who do attend school can face hostile learning environments. Beyond harmful cultural norms, language barriers and the exclusion of indigenous voices in policy-making further marginalize pastoralist girls.
With support from the Girls Opportunity Alliance Fund, PWC aims to implement educational programs that will support foundational learning and life skills for pastoralist girls. PWC also aims to expand educational infrastructure, allowing more girls to access quality education and gain digital literacy skills. The organization also aims to build the capacity of teachers to promote gender-equitable and accessible teaching practices.
PWC expects to directly reach 250 indigenous pastoralist girls and an additional 1,000 community members through this project. Ultimately, the organization hopes to unlock the potential of indigenous pastoralist girls, amplify their voices, and create lasting change.
To learn more about Pastoral Women’s Council, please visit the organization’s website and social media pages:
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