Umoja
November 4, 2020
In Northern Kenya, there is a village that is entirely different from the rest of the world: it is a village where men are banned. Umoja was founded in 1990 by 15 powerful women, all of whom had been a victim of rape by British soldiers. Umoja is used as a refuge for those escaping child marriage, rape, and female genital mutilation. In Kenya, it’s culturally acceptable for men to beat their wives without giving a reason, and seeing a 9 or 10-year-old girl pregnant or serving as a third wife to an older man is deemed normal. Umoja is meant to be a safe haven from the patriarchal villages surrounding it.
According to CNN, there are 48 women and 200 children living in Umoja. The village is able to survive by selling their jewelry and beadwork to tourists in addition to charging a small entrance fee. This money is collected and given to the village’s matriarch, who divides the funds to provide different amounts of food and clothing, depending on how many children live in that home. Women inside the village live modest lives, sleeping on mats in mostly empty huts with fire to cook dinner on. They spend much of the day gathering firewood, fetching clean water, or taking care of the children. The children spend their time primarily either at school or making bracelets out of beads (an important part of Samburu culture).
The women still have relations with men outside of the village to repopulate the village, but all of this is done outside of marriage, which the women find liberating. Many of the women were raped or victims of sexual violence which makes them unpure and unsuitable for marriage according to the Quran (per The Guardian). Being in Umoja allows them to feel independent and have a future including children. Many of the women have had negative experiences with men outside of the village, but being a member of the village protects them and serves as a chance for a better life. Memusi, the official greeter, tragically recalled, “ I was traded for cows when I was 11 years old. My husband was 57”.
The founder of this village is Rebecca Lolosoli, who came up with this idea while recovering after being beaten by a group of men. Since coming up with this idea, Lolosoli has been threatened and attacked by men from neighboring villages, but she didn’t let that deter her. This female village has been sustained for 25 years and provides an opportunity for women to carve their own lives without the help of men. The inhabitants are beyond grateful that Rebecca created this village. One member of Umoja said, “I have learned to do things here that women are normally forbidden to do,” and another added, “We don’t have much, but in Umoja, I have everything I need.”
Sources:
https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/30/africa/samburu-umoja-village-intl-asequals-africa/index.html
