Reclaiming Her Rights: Life at the Women's-Only Village of Umoja Uaso

Women at Umoja Uaso are defying the norms set by surrounding villages in the area of central and northern Kenya. The Samburu tribe is composed of pastoralists, and women have historically been treated objectively and considered less significant than their male counterparts. The frequency of domestic abuse is high, and some women have bravely fled their husbands and joined the Umoja Uaso community, that acts as a safe haven and base-camp for raising awareness about human rights. Almost all of the women living at Umoja have brought their children along, and they are determined for their daughters to receive the same level of education as their sons (a revolutionary act in rural Kenya). This interview with Rose Lekamisi, a resident of Umoja, provides a personal look at daily life in the village and why coming to Umoja has changed her life. Produced by Kate Cummings, Advocacy Project Peace Fellow and Vital Voices Field Correspondent. Kenya, 2009.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Women's Rights
• Kate Cummings
• Umoja Uaso
• Samburu
• Kenya
• Human Rights
• Education
• Africa

[trekkicat]

we need more villages like this everywhere so women learn that they can survive without men

[lmollot]

farming is not education?- good luck with white man s schools where kids are abused -plus- epidemic of unemployed graduates in drugged sex ghettos- cant eat books-teachers steal mothers & kids LANDS

[lmollot]

men allow men only land communes like christian monks/jesuits- or women like nuns as long as she abandons or aborts her child and pays dues to male monks- but why not let non religious womens land collectives if she keeps her child?b/c there no such thing as a father who rapes then kills the child-witness? check hospitals & morgues-most victimes commited to mental ward by abuser-father and mothers who protect their couple (money) pressured by their religious leader-pimp to sacrifice child safety

[lmollot]

stil now- native mothers of all world who r poor- get child taken away by gov-indian mothers married a white man in order to keep their children and forced to raise them as christians-ACTIONwomen of all world need their OWN territory-nation- to protect themselves/ their children from this assaults women who live in grandmothers clan longhouses- will be free of abuse and has group power to protect her child from starvation, men s & teachers, priests& medical abuse & gov kidnap/child-rape traffic

[Q8yaMal]

she is a great woman I want to live with her in thier village

[Hoshep22]

Sign of the Times!!! Auset is awakening and building a new generation of HERU's who will defeat the Evil SET and resurrect AUSAR. AUSET AWAKENS!!!!!!!! The old Patriarchal Male orientated Judeo-Christian-Muslim religions are failing, falling and coming to an end Auset is AWAKENING her MEMBERS and WE Shall RESURRECT AUSAR! Take your seeds great MOTHER and Re Mind them of WHO they real ARE. The future is YOURS!!!!!

[uberhotchick3]

i just spent two weeks with rose and the beautiful women of umoja. what an inspiring group of people.