Naomi Koinase: Young woman leading change for girls’ education in Maasai Community

Manyara. In a region where early marriages and cattle herding have long defined the future of many girls, one young woman is working to rewrite that script.

At just 25, Naomi Koinase from Magadini village in Simanjiro District is at the forefront of a grassroots movement to champion girls’ education in her Maasai community.

Born into a marginalized, nomadic community where patriarchal norms often deny children especially girls the right to education, Naomi defied the odds with the support of her mother.

She became the first person in her village to attain a university education, an experience that ignited a passion to uplift others.

“I wanted other children in my village to have the opportunities I had,” she says. “In 2021, I began by supporting three children who had completed primary school but lacked the means to continue.”

With help from Members of Parliament from Monduli and Longido, Naomi secured placements in better government secondary schools. 

Her initiative has since evolved into a registered NGO OMOM Maasai Community Foundation working across education, economic empowerment, environmental conservation and water sanitation.

In 2024, Naomi’s work gained continental recognition. She was selected for the Trevor Noah Education Changemakers programme, supported by the Trevor Noah Foundation and the YALI Regional Leadership Center East Africa, Nairobi. 

The Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) was launched by the United States government as a signature effort to invest in the next generation of African leaders. 

YALI RLC EA program Implemented by Kenyatta University is funded by USAID.

The program empowers young African leaders in 14 countries in East and Central Africa.  

During the YALI RLC EA program, her pitch won $5,000 to scale her efforts, and in 2025, the Trevor Noah Education Foundation through Kenyatta University awarded her $10,000 to fund the E-SIDAI Project Maasai name stand for "Education is Good."

The project identifies vulnerable students, secures school placements, provides full learning materials, holiday safe houses, and mentorship opportunities. 

Naomi envisions E-SIDAI growing into a full-fledged primary and secondary school offering free quality and transformative education.

Now a Chevening Scholar pursuing a Master’s in Gender and Development at the University of Sussex, United Kingdom Naomi says the journey is only beginning.

“My dream is to raise a generation of changemakers who will transform our community and beyond.”