Maa Beadwork was established to create sustainable alternative livelihoods for women living around conservancies in the Maasai Mara and to allow them to become direct beneficiaries of conservation.
The women engaged in Maa Beadwork are selected by the elected community leaders, the Mama and Mzee Kijiji (mother and father of the village). The Mama and Mzee Kijiji selected one lady from each homestead to join our beading social enterprise, and today Maa Beadwork has 579 incredible beaders from across the Maasai Mara.
Normeshuki Kereto
Normeshuki Kereto comes from the Olkuroto beadwork group. She is married and has four other co-wives. She has seven children of her own, one of whom is married, five are in school, and the youngest is still too young to start school. She has spent the money she earns from beadwork on school fees, food, and a water tank to provide clean drinking water for her family. Having a water tank in her home allows her to spend more time doing beadwork, and earn more money because it reduces the amount of time she used to spend fetching water.
Her ambition is to build a permanent house and start a small business as an additional source of income.
Narikunkera Lepore
Narikunkera Lepore comes from the Ndoinyo beadwork group. She is married and has one co-wife. She has ten children of her own, three girls and three boys, of whom are married, and four are in school. She spends the money that she earns from beadwork on food and school fees for her children in school as she wants her daughters to have more opportunities than she has had in her life.
Her dream is to educate all her children to achieve their goals in life.
Noolkishiru Moriaso
Noolkishiru Moriaso comes from the Olkuroto beadwork group. She is married and has one co-wife. She is blessed with five children of her own. Four of her children are in school, while the youngest is still at home because he is too young to join. She has been spending her money on school fees, buying food, and investing in her small business where she sells potatoes on market day.
Her dream is to expand her business as well as build a permanent house.
Nooltetian Sakut
Nooltetian Sakut comes from the Olkuroto beadwork group. She is married and has two co-wives. She has seven children of her own. Five are in school, and two are still too young to start. She uses the money that she earns from beadwork to buy food and school fees.
Her dream is to build a permanent house.