Meet Mesha
Mesha Pius Singolyo is an Indigenous activist fighting for women's rights in the Maasai community. In particular, she seeks to combat the destructive practices of female genital mutilation and child marriage, while also helping women gain access to education. Additionally, she is working as part of the Maasai Stoves & Solar Project to install efficient wood-burning stoves that dramatically reduce indoor air pollution, which harms the health of millions of people annually.
Mesha has been honored with a National Ultimate Award for her tireless efforts in combatting the harmful practice of child marriages within the Maasai community. Her work, recognized by organizations such as Women in Law and Development Africa (WiLDAF) and the Legal Services Facility (LSF).
Mesha, herself from the Sonjo community, which faces similar challenges, was deeply moved by the tragic murder of a 12-year-old Maasai girl who resisted an arranged marriage, sparking her commitment to fighting against this practice.
What is Mesha doing?
Mesha founded the "My Dream, My Life" project to support girls in staying in school, preventing teenage pregnancies, and escaping physical, sexual, and emotional violence. Her efforts have resulted in the return of numerous girls to school, including young mothers, and she continues to advocate for girls' rights to education and economic freedom. Mesha's dedication to empowering women and youth has made a profound impact in her community, leading to positive change and awareness about harmful practices. Currently pursuing further education, she remains committed to her advocacy work and the advancement of gender equality and human rights. Some of Mesha's goals and projects are as follows:
1. Conduct an education campaign for students in schools and the community to create awareness of gender-based violence. She wants to provide information to students about where to get help when violence like forced marriage occurs, either in school or home.
2. Provide school facilities to the widows, daughters, and orphans (vulnerable girls) that are, because of their family background, at risk if they tried to access their education. A future goal of this project is to reach 200 students in all districts of Arusha. So far, they have been able to support girls in the Ngorongoro district, but want to expand to the other three (Longido, Monduli, Karatu).
3. Sponsor girls to go to a safe boarding school. Mainly, those who are at risk of getting married at a young age, or schoolchildren with babies due to early pregnancy. The first 7 years of school are free, however after that, many girls can't further attend boarding school due to the costs. The required resources (e.g. uniforms, textbooks, backpacks) are often inaccessible, and boarding school requires a yearly fee.
Why is girls' education important?
Maasai girls are destined to remain illiterate, confined to their native Maa language, while also undergoing Female Genital Mutilation at 12–13 years old. They will enter marriages arranged by their fathers, and bear numerous children regardless of their ability to support them. The rest of their life will be spent under the control of a man and his family that they had no say in choosing.
Education serves as a pathway to escape poverty, enhance income, better nutrition and health, shrink family size, boost self-confidence, and elevate overall quality of life. Nevertheless, there is a significant prevalence of gender discrimination in education, with a notable proportion of women, particularly in rural areas, lacking literacy skills. When it comes to the health and nutrition of the children, it is vital for the mother of the family to be educated. Reports from government agencies also link women's illiteracy as the main factor contributing to malnutrition and inadequate health in the region.
By stopping the many forced marriages that occur, Mesha is increasing the amount of Maasai girls that can stay in school. Often these young girls drop out of school for their marriage, or due to other health issues such as HIV. When it comes to their marriages, they don't have much of a choice in their decision making. By educating these girls more, they can learn that there are other possibilities for their future.
Usually, there is only one school to serve all communities within a fifteen mile radius. As a result, many children don't attend school because the distance is too far. To overcome this obstacle, Mesha is working on building more boarding schools.