MAF’s ‘It’s her future’ campaign raises over £30K

1st April 2026

MAF’s campaign is supporting 14-year-old’s Elinami’s education (credit: HFTM)

Following the launch of MAF’s campaign last summer – in partnership with Tanzania’s ‘Help for the Maasai’ (HFTM) – generous MAF supporters have raised over £30,000, which will help children like Elinami stay in school and out of child marriage. MAF’s Annet Nabbanja has the latest…

14-year-old schoolgirl Elinami studies at Naserian Secondary School in remote Ngorongoro District in northern Tanzania, which is home to around 100,000 Maasai pastoralists (source: UN Human Rights).

Maasai men trade in cattle, often at the expense of their own daughters. But Elinami, from isolated Indepesi, is one of the lucky ones.

Maasai men trade in cattle, often at the expense of their own daughters (credit: Mark & Kelly Hewes)

Many Maasai men trade their own daughters for cattle (credit: Mark & Kelly Hewes)

Thankfully, Elinami is studying safely in school, unlike many of her peers who have endured female genital mutilation (FGM) and forced marriage in exchange for cattle – the currency of the Maasai.

Thanks to ‘It’s her future’ campaign, more girls like Elinami are staying in school, away from harmful traditional practices, and benefiting from an education.

‘I am so happy and excited about the new gifts the school received. It shows that people care about our education and want us to succeed.

‘I’m very thankful to MAF who think about our future and provide us with what we need for our learning. I do believe I will work hard, perform well in my studies and achieve my dreams.

‘I’m grateful that I can go to school. School can save me and give me a better life.’

Elinami, beneficiary of ‘It’s her future campaign’

Elinami boards at HFTM’s Naserian Secondary School in Malambo (credit: HFTM)

Boarding at Help for the Maasai’s ‘Naserian Secondary School’ protects girls from FGM, child marriage to much older men, domestic servitude, sexual exploitation and teenage pregnancy.

At school, girls also learn about their human rights and consent over their bodies, which will empower them to make informed choices as they get order.

How MAF supports girls’ education

£30,000 raised by MAF supporters is transforming children’s learning, wellbeing and faith at Naserian Nursery, Primary and Secondary Schools.

MAF delivers the first ‘It’s her future’ consignment in January (credit: Paivi Griffin)

MAF flew the first precious consignment to Malambo earlier this year comprising high-calorie food to improve concentration, medical supplies to keep students healthy, personal care items, uniforms and school resources.

The school cook stirs peanut butter into meals which boosts calories (credit: HFTM)

Specific foods delivered included peanut butter and food supplements which ward of malnutrition, a range of fruit, vegetables, and flour.

MAF also flies in various medication (credit: HFTM)

Medical supplies included malaria test kits, various medicines and multivitamins were flown in. Funds raised also supported medical check-ups for every child. MAF enabled this by flying a medical team to Malambo to carry out the check-ups, which took two days.

MAF flies in a medical team to carry out medical checks on every child (credit: HFTM)

Funds are also supporting HFTM’s deworming programme, which helps prevent malnutrition and anaemia.

Personal care items included soap, toothpaste and Vaseline.

Uniforms comprised sweaters, shirts, socks and sports kits.

Funds pay for hundreds of school shirts for the children (credit: HFTM)

New sports kits mean that children can enjoy physical exercise (credit: HFTM)

New sports kits enable children to enjoy physical exercise (credit: HFTM)

School resources included sports equipment, a range of textbooks, exercise books, stationery and paper. Every child will also receive a Bible.

Students will benefit from a range of textbooks on various subjects (credit: HFTM)

Education – gateway to a brighter future

Education is key to a better future, something that Elinami’s mother, Paulina, never had:

‘When I was growing up, my parents didn’t take me to school. Their education was to give me to a man and start nurturing children, which was very difficult at that early age.

‘Life is very hard for many Maasai girls because they are not taken to school, but forced to marry a man of the family’s choosing.

‘I don’t want Elinami to come back here and live the life that I am living because it’s really difficult. I want Elinami to study very hard and succeed, and I pray that God will help her.’

Paulina, Elinami’s mother who was forced into child marriage

Thanks to ‘It’s her future’ campaign, Elinami will have a very different future from her mother’s.

Elinami’s mother, Paulina, was forced into child marriage (credit: Annet Nabbanja)

Help for the Maasai Director Sara Frykowski is delighted with the campaign’s success:

‘Help for the Maasai would like to sincerely thank MAF and their supporters for their generosity. Their contribution has made a positive difference in our schools and has greatly benefited the students.

‘You have shown great concern for the students’ education and welfare and have demonstrated commitment and compassion towards supporting learning in our schools. It has motivated students to come to school and has brought a big smile to their faces.’

Students hold up their new Bibles paid for by MAF supporters (credit: HFTM)

The second consignment of items will be flown by MAF in July.

MAF’s flight from Arusha saves the HFTM team eight hours by road (credit: HFTM)

From the city of Arusha, it only takes MAF 40 minutes by air to reach Malambo Airstrip – a five-minute walk from the Naserian compound.

Without MAF, it would take eight hours on pothole ridden roads. In the rainy season (November to May) the overland journey takes 12 hours.

Thank you for transforming Elinami’s future (credit: Annet Nabbanja)

MAF’s ‘It’s her future’ campaign raises over £30K

1st April 2026

Following the launch of MAF’s campaign last summer – in partnership with Tanzania’s ‘Help for the Maasai’ (HFTM) – generous MAF supporters have raised over £30,000, which will help children like Elinami stay in school and out of child marriage. MAF’s Annet Nabbanja has the latest…

How MAF supports girls’ education

Education – gateway to a brighter future

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