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How We Work
At The Maa Trust, we believe in research-based development and undertake detailed baseline and endline assessments so as to both quantify and qualify our impact.
The Maa Trust is a non-profit organisation working with community-owned conservancies in the Maasai Mara, Kenya. We work to increase the benefits of wildlife and conservation to Maasai families so that they appreciate, and contribute to the protection of, wild animals on their land.
Our team has spent years going door-to-door asking thousands of people for their views, needs and aspirations. We listen carefully to what they say, think and ask for. We act on this, rather than what donors want to give. By directing funding appropriately, and ensuring projects are set up and handed over in a sustainable manner, we help people to help themselves.
Unlike many organisations working in remote areas of Kenya, we are a permanent presence on the ground in the Maasai Mara and we directly oversee all of our projects. While we strongly encourage communities to take ownership of projects upon completion, we continually monitor our work, and we are on hand should they need advice or guidance with repairs or maintenance issues.
The Maa Trust empowers local people by promoting small business startups & micro finance schemes, enabling them to make their own money and to invest in their family’s development. For example, in our social enterprises, Maa Beadwork and Maa Honey, we measure the success of these projects not only on how much money the ladies earn, but also the impact that these earnings have upon their lives. Our members self-identify their needs and wish list of items, and The Maa Trust helps them to save up for and attain these. Despite a severe lack of education granted to girl children in previous years, our female beadwork and honey members are now affording and investing in clean drinking water for their homes, solar power, alternative fuel to firewood, and they can now send more of their children to school.
We believe that education is a key to the success of the Mara conservancies and to the survival of this world-famous ecosystem. In collaboration with donor organisations, The Maa Trust builds classrooms and dormitories with electricity and clean water; connects children in need with scholarship and bursary sponsors; and organizes conservation education for students and teachers.
About
The Maa Trust
The Maa Trust was created alongside conservancies to increase the benefits that go back to the local community from leasing their land for conservation.
Who We Are
Our Core Mandate
To improve the lives of communities in the Maasai Mara through community-led sustainable development that is intrinsically linked to wildlife and habitat conservation—empowering women, youth, children, and vulnerable groups, promoting equitable benefits from conservation, and fostering trust and collaboration between people and nature.
Mission and Vision
Vision: Socio-economically empowered communities living sustainably within the Maasai Mara Ecosystem.
Mission: To ensure that families in the Maasai Mara benefit from the protection of wildlife and habitat through evidence-based sustainable development programmes.
Our Core Values
T – Trustworthy: We act with integrity and reliability, building strong relationships through consistency and ethical conduct.
R – Respectful: We honour the dignity, culture, and contributions of every individual, actively promoting gender equity and ensuring all voices are heard and valued.
U – Uplifting: We empower communities and individuals, particularly women, youth and children, to reach their full potential through empowerment, opportunity, and inclusive support.
S – Sustainable: We are committed to long-term sustainable solutions that protect people, ecosystems, and future generations.
T – Transparent: We communicate openly and are accountable in our actions, sharing clear, timely, and accurate information with stakeholders, partners, and communities.
E – Evidence-based: We use data, learning, and impact to inform our strategies, approaches and improve our work.
D – Dedicated: We are deeply committed to our mission and the communities we serve, persevering through challenges with determination and purpose.