STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Only 11% of Maasai girls in Kenya finish primary school, according to the government
- Kakenya Ntaiya is trying to change the culture and empower girls there
- Ntaiya studied abroad, came back to her village to open its first primary school for girls
- Do you know a hero? Nominations are open for 2013 CNN Heroes
As a crowd from her
Maasai village looked on, Ntaiya sat down, lifted her skirt and opened
her legs. The woman grabbed Ntaiya's most intimate body parts and, in
just moments, cut them out.
"It (was) really painful. I fainted," recalled Ntaiya, now 34. "You're not supposed to cry."
For generations, this
ceremony was a rite of passage for every Maasai girl, some as young as
10; soon afterward, they would marry and drop out of school.
About 140 million girls and women worldwide have been affected by female genital mutilation,
also known as female circumcision. The procedure is commonly based on
religious and cultural beliefs, including efforts to prevent premarital
sex and marital infidelity.
While female circumcision
and child marriage are now illegal in Kenya -- new laws banning genital
mutilation have contributed to a decline in the practice -- officials
acknowledge that they still go on, especially in rural tribal areas.
Despite free primary education being mandated 10 years ago by the Kenyan
government, educating girls is still not a priority for the Maasai
culture. According to the Kenyan government, only 11% of Maasai girls in
Kenya finish primary school.
"It means the end of their dreams of whatever they want to become in life," Ntaiya said.
But when Ntaiya endured
the painful ritual in 1993, she had a plan. She negotiated a deal with
her father, threatening to run away unless he promised she could finish
high school after the ceremony.
More than 150 Maasai girls are enrolled at the Kakenya Center for Excellence in Enoosaen, Kenya.
"I really liked going to
school," she said. "I knew that once I went through the cutting, I was
going to be married off. And my dream of becoming a teacher was going to
end."
Dreams like Ntaiya's
weren't the norm in Enoosaen, a small village in western Kenya. Engaged
at age 5, Ntaiya spent her childhood learning the skills she would need
to be a good Maasai wife. But her mother encouraged her children to
strive for a better life, and Ntaiya heeded her advice, postponing the
coming-of-age ritual as long as she could. When her father finally
insisted, she took her stand.
Ntaiya's bold move paid
off. She excelled in high school and earned a college scholarship in the
United States. Her community held a fundraiser to raise money for her
airfare, and in exchange, she promised to return and help the village.
Over the next decade,
Ntaiya would earn her degree, a job at the United Nations and eventually
a doctorate in education. But she never forgot the vow she made to
village elders.
In 2009, she opened the first primary school for girls in her village, the Kakenya Center for Excellence.
Today, Ntaiya is helping more than 150 girls receive the education and
opportunities that she had to sacrifice so much to attain.
The Kakenya Center for
Excellence started as a traditional day school, but now the students,
who range from fourth to eighth grade, live at the school. This spares
the girls from having to walk miles back and forth, which puts them at
risk of being sexually assaulted, a common problem in rural African
communities. It also ensures the girls don't spend all their free time
doing household chores.
"Now, they can focus on
their studies -- and on being kids," Ntaiya said. "It's the only way you
can give a girl child a chance to excel."
Students receive three
meals a day as well as uniforms, books and tutoring. There are also
extracurricular activities such as student council, debate and soccer.
Class sizes are small -- many schools in Kenya are extremely overcrowded
-- and the girls have more chances to participate. With these
opportunities and the individual attention they receive, the girls are
inspired to start dreaming big.
"They want to become doctors, pilots, lawyers," Ntaiya said. "It's exciting to see that."
Fathers are now saying, 'My daughter could do better than my son.'
CNN Hero Kakenya Ntaiya
CNN Hero Kakenya Ntaiya
Just 4 years old, the school already ranks among the top in its district.
"Fathers are now saying, 'My daughter could do better than my son,' " Ntaiya said.
As a public school, the
Kakenya Center for Excellence receives some financial support from the
Kenyan government. But the majority of the school's expenses are paid
for by Ntaiya's U.S.-based nonprofit. While families are asked to
contribute to cover the cost of the girls' meals, an expense that can be
paid in maize or beans, Ntaiya covers the costs of any students who
cannot pay.
Each year, more than 100
girls apply for approximately 30 spots available in each new class.
Parents who enroll their daughters must agree that they will not be
subjected to genital mutilation or early marriage.
Many families are
willing to accept Ntaiya's terms, and that's the kind of change she was
hoping to inspire. It took her years to drum up support for the project,
but eventually she persuaded the village elders to donate land for the
school.
"It's still quite
challenging to push for change. Men are in charge of everything," she
said. "But nothing good comes on a silver plate. You have to fight
hard."
Chief John Naleke, a
village elder, can testify firsthand to Ntaiya's powers of persuasion.
As recently as 2006, he claimed there was no need for girls to be
educated. But she managed to win him over; he's now an important partner
in her efforts.
Naleke said Ntaiya's
accomplishments and spirit have made her a role model, noting that
villagers also respect the fact that she didn't forget her promise.
"We have several sons
who have gone to the United States for school. Kakenya is the only one
that I can think of that has come back to help us," Naleke said. "What
she tells us, it touches us. ... She brought a school and a light and is
trying to change old customs to help girls get a new, better life."
In 2011, Ntaiya moved to
Nairobi, Kenya's capital, with her husband and two young sons. She
spends about half her time in Enoosaen, where she loves to visit with
the girls and see them evolve.
"When they start, they
are so timid," she said. "(Now) the confidence they have, it's just
beyond words. It's the most beautiful thing."
Her nonprofit also runs
health and leadership camps that are open to all sixth-grade girls in
the village and teach them about female circumcision, child marriage,
teen pregnancy and HIV/AIDS.
"We tell them about
every right that they have, and we teach them how to speak up," Ntaiya
said. "It's about empowering the girls."
In the coming years,
Ntaiya plans to expand her school to include lower grades. She also
wants to provide tutoring for the students from her first class when
they head to high school next year, and she wants to eventually open a
career center for them. She hopes that one day the school will serve as a
model for girls' education throughout Africa.
Ultimately, Ntaiya wants girls to have the opportunity to go as far as their abilities will take them.
"I came back so girls
don't have to negotiate like I did to achieve their dreams," she said.
"That's why I wake up every morning."