A group of Maasai girls, who are staying at a boarding school in Transmara, western Kenya, chant, “I am worth defending!” as they practice combat techniques. This isn’t a martial arts class; the girls are learning self-defense in a safe environment designed to protect them from early marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM).
Grace Musheni, a 14-year-old who has been living at the Enkakenya Centre for Excellence since 2023, explains, “We learn how to protect ourselves, how to protect our bodies.”
Founded in 2009 by Kakenya Ntaiya, a Maasai woman who underwent genital cutting herself, the center serves as a refuge for girls at risk of early marriage and FGM. In addition to offering a safe space, the center provides free high school education, which encourages parents to keep their daughters in school rather than subjecting them to the harmful tradition of genital cutting, still prevalent among Maasai girls aged 8 to 17.
In many Maasai communities, once a girl undergoes circumcision, she is regarded as an adult and is considered ready for marriage. This marks a sudden end to her childhood and education, often forcing her to leave school and assume adult responsibilities.
“Most child marriages are driven by poverty in families,” explains Musheni. “Due to this poverty, some parents allow their daughters to marry older men, as it provides financial support for the family.”
Although Ntaiya could not avoid genital mutilation herself, she persuaded her father to let her continue her education. Today, she holds a Ph.D. in education from the University of Pittsburgh and has received numerous awards for her work.
“I am a product of proper education, and I wanted to show my community how crucial it is to empower women and girls,” she says.
Despite Kenyan laws banning genital mutilation and marriage under 18, both practices persist, particularly in rural areas where education levels are low. The 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey revealed that 56.3% of women with no education had undergone genital mutilation, compared to just 5.9% of women who had pursued education beyond secondary school.
Girls’ education appears to play a role in reducing gender-based violence. A survey found that 34% of Kenyan women reported experiencing physical violence, but this figure drops to 23% for women who have received an education.
Although this is still a concerning number, the Enkakenya Centre goes beyond offering education by partnering with the organization I’m Worth Defending to teach girls self-defense skills. The goal is not only to empower them to physically defend themselves from abusers—though they are capable of doing so—but also to instill confidence and assertiveness in all areas of their lives.
“We teach them the basics of assertiveness and boundary-setting, using both verbal and physical techniques,” explains Amelia Awuor from I’m Worth Defending. “These skills help build the confidence needed to speak out against violations or protect themselves from threats.”
For 14-year-old Rahab Lepishoi, the training empowered her to take action when she discovered that girls in her village, including a close friend, were about to undergo circumcision. “I told her about the dangers of FGM and invited her to come with me to my home to avoid it,” Lepishoi shares.
Rahab Lepishoi is following the example set by her educators, who make annual visits to remote communities in Transmara to raise awareness about issues like genital mutilation, early marriage, and the value of education. “Now, when I visit places, I use the skills of assertiveness and confidence I’ve learned. I educate my friends so that when they meet a boy, they can confidently speak their minds,” Lepishoi shares.
The self-defense training also helps protect against sexual abuse, which often leads to girls being trapped in violent marriages. “In many cases, when a girl tells her parents she’s been abused, the family forces her to marry the abuser,” explains Grace Musheni.
Purity Risanoi, 15, has been at the school for five years. Her mother, a widow, raised her and her four siblings alone, yet cultural pressures from their community still persist. “My family is still very traditional,” Risanoi says. “In my community, when a girl grows up, she is expected to marry, and she doesn’t have a say in who her husband will be.”
Purity Risanoi’s solution is simple: keep studying. She dreams of becoming a lawyer one day.
Meanwhile, Grace Musheni aspires to become a software engineer. She hopes to return to her community and use technology to bring about positive change. “Girls are capable of achieving amazing things,” she says. “I want to inspire others to pursue their dreams.”