This archive report was first published on 20 June 2020.
Maasai Girls Turn to Shoeshine Business After Dropping Out of School ¶
Published on June 20, 2020, a group of 50 Maasai girls in Narok county have come together to start a shoeshine business to earn a livelihood.
The group, named 'Eselengi Emaa', which means Maasai Girls, was mentored and financed by the county Woman Rep Soipan Tuya and Labour CAS Patrick Ntutu.
According to the group's chairlady, Grace Nakola, the girls' motive was driven by the lack of white-collar jobs in the area, making them dependent on their parents.
Most of the girls had dropped out of school due to school fees or early pregnancies, and they decided to engage in the shoeshine business as a way to earn some income.
"We have bought two executive shoe shining stalls each with a capacity to serve four people at a go. We will buy more booths to expand our business," Nakola said.
The group's initiative is an encouragement to the girls in the community who lack formal education due to early marriages and teenage pregnancies.
Kenya Demographic Health Survey (KDHS) data shows that Narok County was leading by 40% teenage pregnancy, infant, maternal and child mortality rates in the year 2018.
