The Umoja village is a matriarchal village in the Samburu district, six hours north of Nairobi. It’s a village for women only (umoja meaning unity in Swahili), which was founded in 1990 by a Samburu woman named Rebecca Lolosoli.
Her goal was to create a women-only sanctuary for survivors of violence against women and for young girls running from forced marriages or female genital mutilation. Originally a home for 15 women, it nowadays hosts almost 40 women and their children, without one single man. Together the women fight for their right to own their land.
The women of Umoja have built homes and a school to educate their children. They also travel to nearby communities to teach people about the rights of women to own land and property, as well as to create awareness about women’s rights in general.
During a visit, you go on a tour of the village, see some of the huts and manyatta, the pre-school, the napoo (village parliament), and a woman’s home. There is also a museum and a community center, where you can discover more about the Samburu way of life, their history, and their culture. Last but not least, you can buy some of their amazing, handmade Samburu jewelry. Good to know: men are not allowed to live in the village but are welcome to join the tour.
Umoja Village
