Semerian, a Maasai woman, remembers her grandmother’s stories of a time when Maasai pastoralists roamed freely, before the post-colonial era brought sweeping changes to their ancient lifestyle. In this episode, Semerian shares some of the painful shifts Maasai have faced over the past few decades, and how they are working to preserve their rich and vibrant cultural heritage. Beyond these existential challenges, Semerian also highlights the specific obstacles Maasai women face, like early marriages and gender-based poverty, and how she's working to create meaningful change for Maasai women and girls. 

Get Involved!
Learn more about Semerian Sankori's work and how you can support her to empower Maasai women here: justpeoples.org/leaders/semerian

Why Give a Buck?
Because with 2,000 USD, Semerian can supply 20 goats to a group of 20 Maasai women. This will allow the women to establish a herd that they can raise and breed helping them to achieve economic independence.

Meet Semerian
Join us on the 3rd of October for an online fireside chat to discuss the power of women in rural Africa, with Semerian and fellow Kenyan entrepreneur Grace Ongong'a. Click for details and registration.  

Grace Ongong'a grew up in a typical polygamous family in rural Kenya, with one father, six mothers, and 24 siblings. In Grace's community, girls are expected to leave school as soon as they find a husband, marry young, and start families. But fortunately for Grace, her parents believed in her right to education and independence. After becoming a teacher and spending eight transformative years abroad, Grace returned home on a mission! In this episode Grace describes how she's empowering other women in her hometown to break free from traditional roles, combat domestic violence, and gain skills for self-sufficiency.

Get Involved!
Learn more about Grace Ongong'a's work and how you can support her to empower Kenyan women here: justpeoples.org/leaders/grace

Why Give a Buck?
Because with 6,400 USD Grace can provide business mentorship and microloans to newly-trained entrepreneurs. And with around 44,000 USD, Grace can run her entire skills training academy for a year.

Meet Grace
Join us on the 3rd of October for an online fireside chat to discuss the power of women in rural Africa, with Grace and fellow Kenyan entrepreneur Semerian Sankori. Click for details and registration.  

Bright Shitemi experienced depression and suicidal ideation as a young man following the traumatic aftermath of his mother's attempted suicide when he was a child. He learned firsthand how mental health is treated by Kenyan society and how people suffering are stigmatised, marginalised and even criminalised. In this episode, Bright shares how he came back from the brink and began working to bring mental illness out of the shadows so that every Kenyan can safely share how they're feeling and access professional and dignified healthcare and support through the pioneering non-profit he founded, Mental 360. He's an inspiring man on a beautiful, and very human, journey.

Get Involved!
Learn more about Bright Shitemi's work and how you can support him to provide access to mental healthcare to all Kenyans here: justpeoples.org/leaders/bright

Why Give a Buck?
Because with $2,500 USD Bright's team can deliver 12 weeks of group therapy and psychosocial support to 30 vulnerable teenage mums. And with $33,000 USD Bright can establish and run a community wellness centre for a year.

Lea Kilenga has sickle cell disease, which causes daily pain and difficulties. But that didn't stop her from harassing Kenya's Head of Non-communicable Diseases via daily WhatsApp messages—until he started listening to her! In this episode, Lea shares with us how a girl from a small coastal village in Kenya, where 24% of the local population carries sickle cell, is persuading global health institutions, as well as her own government, to make sickle cell disease a health priority and ensure all patients have access to beautiful, fulfilling lives. Through her own painful and powerful life experiences, Lea illustrates what life is like for patients and the future she's creating for them, herself, and—she hopes one day—her own children.

Get Involved!
Learn more about Lea Kilenga's work and how you can support her to improve the lives of sickle cell patients here: justpeoples.org/leaders/lea

Why Give a Buck?
Because with $3,376 USD Lea can bring a community of stigmatised sickle cell patients out of marginalisation by providing medical knowledge, access to treatment and support groups, and dignity.

Florence Namaganda, Ugandan founder of Mukisa Foundation, shares her journey as a neuro-pediatric therapist and physiotherapist who first encountered children with disabilities on her first day at medical school, a moment that left a profound impact on her.

Christey and Johanna chat with Florence about her need to comprehend why these children with disabilities were segregated from mainstream society and how her investigations revealed a troubling reality: many parents believed their children's disabilities were the result of witchcraft, or punishment for wrongdoing.

Florence shares her passionate determination to change this narrative and how through Mukisa Foundation she has supported over 4,000 children living with disabilities across Uganda. She also discusses her wider vision of creating an inclusive society where people with disabilities can really thrive, starting within their families.

Get Involved!
Learn more about Florence's work and how you can support her to deliver holistic support to Ugandan children living with disabilities and their families by visiting  justpeoples.org/leaders/florence

Why Give a Buck?
Because with $3,520 USD Florence can support 5 children living with disabilities with comprehensive medical care and nutritious food for a whole year. These kids and their families will join the safe and supportive community that Florence and her team have created at Mukisa Foundation. Children who need them will also be referred to specialists to receive assistive devices and corrective surgeries.

Jean Michel Habineza grew up in the wake of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, one of the gravest atrocities in recent human history, where almost overnight friends and neighbours became deadly enemies. Jean Michel is part of the movement to bring Rwanda back to a state of genuine, lasting peace. In this episode Jean Michel details the steps that can lead normal people to become capable of genocide, and how to reconcile former enemies when resentment and trauma levels are sky high. He also describes how to achieve peace through empowering people to debate the most contentious issues, without conflict. He is full of wisdom as well as practical advice that the world needs to hear right now; at the international level, between ethnic groups, and regular people trying to communicate with beloved family members with opposing opinions. 

Get Involved!
Learn more about Jean Michel's work and how you can support him to promote critical thinking, and peaceful and healthy societies and families here: justpeoples.org/leaders/jean-michel

Why Give a Buck?
Because with $2,518 USD Jean Michel can educate a school of Rwandan high school students to debate tough topics without leading to conflict, and then implement projects to tackle local poverty-related issues.

Johanna and Christey speak with Mercy Kafotokoza, the midwife and nurse tackling Malawi's alarming maternal and infant mortality rate head-on! Mercy discusses how she trains nurses to ride off-road motorbikes so they can ride over rugged terrain to treat the furthest away patients. She also provides an overview of the complex cultural context she works in where consulting witch doctors is the norm, and how lack of education around maternal health leads many women to hide their pregnancies in fear. Mercy also describes how her powerful nurses use culturally appropriate techniques (like song and dance!) to educate, treat and ultimately save thousands of women and children in rural Malawi. You'll love her!

Get Involved!
Learn more about Mercy's work and how you can support her to reach more mums and their babies here: justpeoples.org/leaders/mercy

Why Give a Buck?
Because with $2,160 USD Mercy can buy a motorbike, train a nurse to ride it, obtain her license, and cover fuel and maintenance costs for a year.

And with $15,672 USD one hundred women can receive comprehensive pre- and post-natal care, and emergency support from Mercy's nurses whenever they need it for themselves and their babies. These mothers and children will be given the best chance to survive and thrive!