Ever heard of a women-only village?
Umoja Village is a women-only village located in Samburu Kenya. It has a population of about 50 women and 200 children. These strong women migrated from the neighboring towns in Samburu Kenya.
What led to their migration?
The Umoja women and its surrounding faced an extrme form of male chauvinism where they were raped, beaten, abused, and to crown it all they were killed by their husbands who see them as purchased properties. Fathers sold their daughters to marriage for herds of cows. To worsen the matter, the white men who resided in the community in the ’90s raped and molested the women of the community, when they reported, they were told that it was their fault, sometimes, husbands and fathers went ahead to beat the raped women forcing them into unspeakable trauma.
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They were forced into marital slavery, once married, they live to please their husbands who will not hesitate to kill them at the slightest form of insubordination. In1990, the founder of the women village, Rebecca Lolosoli began women right activism in the early 90s, she was beaten, injured and left for dead to recoup at a hospital when she came up with the idea to start an all women village. The movement started with 15 women who found Umoja and made it their safe space. These women were brave enough to champion a revolution and migrate from Samburu village to Umoja village where men were not allowed, only women live there.
Umoja village has remained a safe haven for women suffering all forms of abuse ranging from running away from abusive husbands, from abusive fathers, from women who want freedom of any sort, women who want to explore, the umoja women are more than willing and happy to accept them.
Their security
The women of Umoja are rumored to use charms to protect their safe haven, however, that is entirely not true, they built a fence of torn that anyone who tried to cross will be choked to death, the only entrance into the village is secured and a resident has to open the door to let you in. Being regarded as nobodies, their initial migration did not face forceful extraditions, however as they grew stronger and made their own livelihood, the men felt threatened and wanted to find ways to smoke them out but to no avail. They learnt to leave them alone.
The big question- How do they procreate?
They meet with men from the other villages, they go out, mate with men and come back to give birth. They understand that they need children to look after them in their old age. The children are allowed to mingle with other children. Before now, the villages maintained an unresolved enmity, now, they are 2 separate villages respecting each other’s views.
Means of livelihood
The women make and sell beautiful ornaments and African jewelries to visitors to their village and to travellers. They farm, and engage in as much trade as they can muster to earn a living. They do not have so much but they are happy with their freedom. Most of them say they are never able to go back to be with a man as wife for the rest of their lives.
Education
Most of these women are largely uneducated, to bridge the gap, they built a school for children in Umoja and its environs. The school accepts both female and male gender. The women of Umoja do not hate men rather have built a safe space for themselves to grow and enhance their talents. The vicinity has been visited by notable foundations and dignitaries and they make large donations to support them to run their affairs.
They are also recognized by past American First Lady and former US Presidential Aspirant, Hillary Clinton.
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