Meeting the Chui Mamas: An Exploration into An Advancing Kenya

Meeting the Mamas

We drove for hours, navigating dusty roads from Meru National Park to the Loisaba Conservancy. The journey was long, the terrain relentless, but it was worth every mile. Upon arrival at Loisaba Tented Camp, our home for the week, we were greeted by our guide, Dalmas Malcom Lemaiyan—a traditional Maasai Warrior with a commanding presence and a contagious passion for the wild. Exhausted and coated in a fine layer of red earth, we found it impossible to resist his invitation to explore. With Dalmas leading the way, the wilderness laid out before us. Lions roamed nearby, elephants pranced in the distance, and the sheer number of giraffes made it impossible to even stop for each one of their crossings. With encounters so frequent, we shockingly became somewhat desensitized to them: “Oh, just another Zebra…” But regardless, this was the heart of east Africa, and we were loving every minute of it.

Our next stop wasn’t about the wildlife though—it was about the people. Specifically, we were here to meet the women who are reshaping what community leadership and independence mean in this part of Kenya. Elewana Collection and the Loisaba Conservancy partner with a self-help group in Laikipia County, called the Chui Mamas. Their mission is to empower women to “attain the highest possible standards of living through income-generating activities.” These tribal women, hailing from the Samburu and Ndorobo ethnic groups of the Maa-speaking culture, had invited us into their world to share the next chapter of women’s rights and equal opportunity. Together with their collaborators, they’ve built a community center that serves as both a hub for their efforts and a symbol of their progress.

(Meeting three of the 60+ mamas. Photo Credit: Marla Tomorug)

Language could have been a barrier, but with our guides, Dalmas and Unita—the Education & Community Coordinator of Loisaba Conservancy—we immediately felt a warm connection to the Chui Mamas. These women, for the first time in their lives, were stepping into leadership roles and gaining independence. Even the name they chose for their group speaks volumes. “Chui,” the Swahili word for leopard, embodies these women’s identities: powerful, bold, strong, and unrelenting in their mission to balance cultural heritage with personal freedoms needed in the modern day. We wanted to know everything about them. 

While Kenya is undeniably one of the most stunning places on earth, many communities here face consequential challenges. For example, practices like female genital mutilation (FGM) remain rooted in tradition, despite the practice’s controversy and growing opposition. Educational opportunities for women and girls remain scarce, and economic barriers keep them tethered to outdated systems, even as the world evolves around them. The Chui Mamas aim to rewrite this story by creating opportunities for women and girls to rise above these astronomical hurdles. 

(The mamas are full of life and energy. Photo Credit: Marla Tomorug)

A New Africa 

Arriving at the Chui Mamas’ community center, we were greeted by three of their members—representatives of the 60+ women in this growing collective. Each wore intricately beaded necklaces, intricately hand-crafted pieces that show off their remarkable craftsmanship. And their energy was infectious. They joked with one another, their laughter filling the air. They poked fun at us through their varied gestures, reminding us that communication was certainly possible despite the inherent language barrier. With Unita translating, we learned all that these three women have overcome, and what they are hoping to do for so many others—with the drive to pave a way for a much brighter future. 

Their objective is to give women the tools to create opportunities by harnessing their skills. Their talents range from beadwork to soap making, tailoring, baking, beekeeping, gardening and farming. While these skills lead to income, they also serve as a pathway to eliminate the daily struggles women face that have long been unavoidable. Their firsthand accounts of poverty and hunger—crises worsened by ongoing droughts and the climate crisis—hit heavy. These women were fighting to survive while also actively working to create solutions for others. Their ingenuity could be felt in every corner of the community center.

(A new center is opening for the mamas to run their businesses. Photo Credit: Adam Moore)

To combat the environmental and economic challenges they face, regenerative farming and sustainable gardening have become a cornerstone of their efforts. Taking us to see their work in action, they were cultivating a wide array of crops, including tomatoes, onions, pumpkins, sunflowers, peppers, cabbages, pigeon peas, bananas, kale, and fruit trees. These efforts rely on techniques like crop rotation, water conservation, and companion planting to control pests and diseases to keep as eco-conscious as possible. For example, sunflowers act as natural pest deterrents, while mulching every plant helps retain precious moisture in this arid environment. 

Their farming practices are a masterclass in resourcefulness. Nothing goes to waste. Every bit of organic material is recycled into nutrient-rich compost, created by the women themselves which improves soil health but also ensures that their farm remains self-sustaining. With water scarcity becoming an increasing issue due to erratic rainfall patterns, the women have implemented methods to maximize water use efficiency as well. One example of which is covering their crops with hay to reduce evaporation. They also plan to integrate rainwater harvesting systems as part of their long-term vision for the community center, ensuring a sustainable water supply for daily use.

(Unita acting as a translator. Photo Credit: Marla Tomorug)

The community center is where they gather, work, and dream. With their storefronts opening sometime this year, they’ll have dedicated spaces to refine their skills and earn an income. It’s a vision of independence and growth, where each woman can contribute on her terms. While marginalization, harmful cultural practices, gender-based violence, and discrimination have long shaped the lives of women here, times are finally starting to change. These storefronts are now their lifelines. 

But even as tourism brings more people to the region, there’s an underbelly of hardship in this region. Beautiful lodges and conservancies may dot the landscape, but the inequity and long-standing struggle for women cannot be ignored. Not anymore. For the Chui Mamas, they are building a New Africa—one where bringing these issues to light and offering solutions is the way of the future. 

Commitment to Community

While weaving throughout the nearly finished stores, the women shared their ambitions, showing us their mastered skills proudly. They invited us into their boma (or their community) to join in a traditional dance, laughing as we struggled to mimic the rhythmic movements that lifted their stunning beadwork off their bodies. Even Dalmas and Unita couldn't hold back their smirks as we so clearly fumbled.

(Meeting the local community. Photo Credit: Adam Moore)

And while we danced alongside the Mamas, we better understood the weight of their work, looking into the eyes of so many women who were benefiting from this program. These women are addressing systemic challenges that have long been overlooked. And to do that takes sheer willpower. The Chui Mamas operate as an umbrella organization encompassing 20 smaller women’s groups, united by a shared desire for socio-economic and cultural advancement. Many members are single mothers, widows, or women rejected by their communities due to circumstances beyond their control, like raising disabled children. These are among the most vulnerable members of society, often without land, livestock, or any reliable source of income. This vulnerability impacts every aspect of their lives, from being unable to provide proper nutrition and education for their children to lacking financial independence to make decisions for their families.

(The Chui Mamas is a safe community and place for women to thrive. Photo Credit: Marla Tomorug)

They also can suffer from health challenges which are harrowing, stemming from home births without medical support or from medical conditions like obstetric fistula, as one example. Eye problems, exacerbated by cooking over smoky fires in poorly ventilated homes, are common here too. But the Chui Mamas are addressing all of these issues, front and center, with initiatives ranging from economic projects to social programs to immediate relief—from healthcare access to essential items like wheelchairs and roofing materials. They’ve created safe spaces for women to share their experiences, receive support, and access training that they’d never get otherwise. Adult literacy programs are also part of their work, helping women gain the basic skills they need to manage their businesses and build confidence, enabling them to leave hard situations of domestic violence, FGM, or other abuse. 

(Each mama focuses on a trade that they are passionate about, like gardening. Photo Credit: Marla Tomorug)

Empowering Independent Women

Chui Mamas is for the women of today, as well as their daughters, granddaughters, and the generations that will follow. Long-term projects like a rescue center for girls escaping early marriage and programs to support children with disabilities show that, for these women, they aren’t thinking short term at all. While their laughter, jokes, and vibrant energy kept us smiling, we couldn’t ignore the resilience and purpose driving each of these empowered women. We were standing among the true architects of a new narrative for change. Through financial independence, education, and social support, they’re creating a community where women’s needs are finally being heard, respected, and acted upon.

(A mama showed us around her garden. Photo Credit: Marla Tomorug)

Kenya’s beauty—the kind that draws so many travelers from around the world—lies not only in its wildlife but in its people too. Conservation is as much about protecting nature as it is about uplifting the communities that live alongside it. If people are struggling to meet basic needs like food, safety, and dignity, how can they be expected to care for the land? If their rights are ignored, how can they focus on preserving the environment around them?

Visiting places like Laikipia County needs to be more than a standard safari adventure. Today, it’s a call to action. Supporting Kenya means supporting its people and its ecosystems, hand in hand. Tourism can be a lifeline—a bridge to safety, security, and opportunity for communities like the Chui Mamas. Or tourism can be looked at as a culture killer if handled without care. But when those tourism dollars are directed thoughtfully, they have the power to change lives. The Chui Mamas showed us that when we take a moment to listen and act, profound transformations are possible. They’ve given us a blueprint for conscious travel: and it’s one that uplifts both people and the planet.

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Words by: Andi Cross | Photography by: Adam Moore & Marla Tomorug | Support from: Elewana Collection, Loisaba Conservancy, Land & Life Foundation

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SHE Changes Climate collaborates with the Edges of Earth Expedition, a woman-led team dedicated to highlighting impactful stories from the environmental frontlines. This partnership focuses on amplifying the voices of women who are pioneering positive change in some of the world’s most vulnerable coastal and marine environments, many of whose stories have gone untold.