About Us

Nashipay Maasai Initiatives (NMI)

The Organization

Nashipay Maasai Initiatives (NMI) is a not-for-profit civil society organisation that struggles to empower pastoralists of Makuyuni and beyond by promoting and supporting appropriate education, nature conservation that respects community rights and sustainable livelihoods.

At the midst of all, we help communities to tackle rural poverty and especially make sure that rural women have access to and control of economic resources, including land, and influence over markets and investments to ensure sustainable food security and resilience to disasters, especially those induced by climate change.

Community Overview

Located in and around Makuyuni 70 km SW of Arusha, Tanzania ( -4°43’59.99″ S 38°06’0.00″ E), the region is home to 12,000 Maasai. The area is dominated by tourism and conservation interests. As pastoralists, Maasai herd cattle, goats, sheep and donkeys; all crucial to the pastoralist livelihood economy. Subsistence farming is becoming essential for survival.

Leadership

NMI is a community based organization governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, which consists of members of the Council of Elders and others from the Maasai community. The Board meets regularly and each member holds a portfolio of responsibilities. NMI is led by its Managing Director Clamian Kitesho, a member of the Board and Council of Elders. The management structure of NMI is a collaborative one with key staff from each of the departments involved in the decision making processes; departments include leaders from each of the programs.

Staff

NMI has a total staff of 25, including 9 teachers, 7 support staff for the school, 1 Duka (small shop) sales clerk, 2 goat herders, 4 garden staff and 2 administration staff.

Volunteers

Key to its operation is the volunteer time provided by its Managing Director and its Program Director. Both people provide critical support to the organization using experience gained through their work in the tourism and nonprofit sector and their post secondary education. As well, NMI has a collaborative relationship with the Pastoral Women’s Council and hosts volunteer university students from time to time. Community members routinely provide manual labour for building projects, firewood and food. NMI is also supported by a small team of Canadians who work in support and collaboration with the Maasai Leadership team.

Land

The community has legal title to 10 acres which holds Nashipay Maasai School and the related dormitory. All other lands, including the grazing land for livestock, the community garden, plots for homes and the small dam which provides water, have been granted to the community by the Government of Tanzania but are not legally owned. There is a constant and ongoing threat that the Government may take back this land under the guise of “conservation”, ignoring the centuries old history of the Maasai living on this land in harmony with nature, with the wildlife and the land.