Maasai Warriors. Credit: Christina Lauterbach

Our Mission is to provide the information, tools and discussion forums necessary to enable to Maasai and other East Africans to protect themselves and their communities from HIV and sexually transmitted infections, and to create effective and sustainable local networks of information, care and support.

We are a small organisation and are building our capacity slowly but steadily. We believe that small groups of committed people really can change the world and are doing what we can to prove this theory right!

HIV and its prevention among the Maasai

As HIV continues to spread it poses an increasing threat to the survival of indigenous cultures. In East Africa the Maasai are now experiencing the early stages of what is likely to be a catastrophic epidemic. To the Maasai HIV is a ‘new’ disease and a new threat, and most remain uninformed, unprotected and without support. Without the implementation of an energetic and effective intervention the future looks increasingly bleak.

Empuaan, which means ’survival’ in Maasai, is an innovative HIV prevention programme which recognises and respects specific Maasai understandings of sexuality, health and illness. Using local Maasai frameworks for information sharing and debate, Empuaan aims to provide long-term and sustainable solutions by working with the community to create an environment in which individuals and groups can make informed choices and turn those choices into action in their fight against AIDS.

Empuaan comes with no agenda other than respect for local people, their opinions and their customs and the improvement of their sexual health and well-being. We propose an active programme in which participants are involved in formulating critical analysis and generating scenarios for alternative ways of being. The aim is to reduce the risk of HIV through awareness raising and critical analysis and debate at the community level, improved risk reduction behaviour, improved STI health-seeking behaviour, the promotion of correct and consistent condom use, and the creation of effective and sustainable local networks of information, care and support.

Empuaan’s projects are designed around the realities and priorities of Maasai life, but are accessible to all who live in Maasai areas, whatever their ethnicity.

We are putting our plans into action with these projects.

You can help us to continue pioneering new approaches to tackling HIV among the Maasai by making a donation.

For a detailed analysis of the social, cultural and demographic factors of HIV transmission dynamics among the Maasai, see Empuaan: Situation Analysis.