Maasai Women Attend International Women’s Day Events in Arusha

Thomson Safaris sponsored a group of Maasai women from several villages in Loliondo to participate in Arusha’s International Women’s Day activities in March.

International Women’s Day celebrates the economic, political, and social achievements of women past, present and future. The events, which are held annually across the world, range from seminars, conferences, and to political rallies and networking events. Women from all over Tanzania gathered for this multi-day conference under the theme of “Connecting Girls, Inspiring Futures.”

Over the course of a few days, the Maasai women attended seminars on topics such as domestic violence, entrepreneurship, human rights, HIV/AIDS and Female Genital Cutting (FGC). The seminars not only increased their awareness about these issues relevant to their daily lives, but also supplied the women with strategies and knowledge to work on these issues and to improve their quality of life.

Maasai women rally at International Women`s Day

Selling Maasai beadwork

Selling Maasai beadwork

Maasai women attending International Women`s Day seminars

Crafting beadwork

The Loliondo women not only enjoyed learning the valuable information covered at the Women’s Day events but also found modern life in Arusha to be a learning experience in itself. Most of these women have never left their remote villages, which made Arusha’s busy streets and crowds, along with things we take for granted, like electricity, an eye-opening experience.

The women intend to share their newly-gained knowledge about women’s rights, violence prevention, and the importance of better access to education for girls with their communities.