Maasai girls gathering to receive sanitary pads from Tareto Africa after a successful sexual and reproductive health education event at Orboma village.
Tareto Africa
Tareto Africa is a grassroots organization based in Narok County, Kenya, working to promote reproductive health and rights and eliminate harmful practices including female genital mutilation (FGM), gender-based violence (GBV), and child marriage.
The organization was founded in 2017 by Leshan Kereto, a young Maasai man, when he became aware of the hardships girls in his community are forced to endure due to harmful patriarchal customs. When he learned about the ordeal of a 12-year-old girl who had been subjected to FGM, Leshan developed the urge to end this violation of human rights and help Maasai girls fulfill their potential.
“I could not help but wonder how many girls had been cut; and how many are being cut. How many girls have been married off? How many girls have dropped out of school? How many girls have disappeared and will never be reached?”
– Leshan Kereto, Founder, Tareto Africa
“First I went through Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) which has had side effects on my reproductive health. When I was in form two, unfortunately I got pregnant and I went back home. When my parents saw that I was pregnant, they told me they would not give me a second chance to go back to school, and the only thing they would do for me is to give me out to be married.”
On the eve of Charity’s forced marriage, Leshan was able to convince her family to let her remain unmarried and return to school — as long as Tareto covered all of her school fees and related expenses.
“Now I proudly volunteer with Tareto Africa through the Population Connection supported Trees for Girls project, educating young girls about their bodies, the dangers of harmful traditional practices, and the importance of environmental conservation to prevent drought — one of the factors that drive families to force their daughters into marriage.
“I would really like to continue my education and become a nurse and come back and help my parents and the community.”
Tareto Africa does community outreach to sensitize people to the harm caused by FGM, GBV, and child marriage. It also conducts training for girls on their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and distributes menstrual pads.
Photo: St. Mary’s Primary School students in Narok County calling on decision-makers to prevent FGM after a session on FGM health risks. © Tareto Africa
The organization is currently focused on a project called Trees for Girls, which educates girls on SRHR and environmental conservation. Trees for Girls, in partnership with nurses, schools, and environmentalists, will train 500 girls on SRHR and climate change adaptation actions, including tree planting. The trained girls will serve as Tareto Africa champions and will raise awareness in the community of the linkages between climate change, gender, and SRHR.
Photo: Tareto Africa Founder Leshan Kereto training girls on the types of gender-based violence at Nairagie Enkare Primary School. © Tareto Africa
