The Mara Rianta alternative rites of passage to end female genital mutilation
In 2023, 140 girls 12-16 years from the Mara Rianta and its neighboring communities participated in an alternative rites of passage, sparing them from the female genital mutilation that is still widely practiced in the Maasai community, in spite of that it is illegal in Kenya. A cultural practice with great consequences for the girls, leading to child marriage, child pregnancy and school drop-outs, not to mention the physical consequences this mutilation has on the girls lives.
To prevent this harmful cultural practice, the whole community of Mara Rianta was involved in an alternative rite of passage from April to August 2023.
The project was facilitated and run by the local community based non-profit organisation the Maa Trust. Karen Blixen Camp Trust is a proud donor to this important project together with Crossing Borders Austria and Basecamp Explorer Foundation Kenya.