Maasai girls are taking up martial arts to protect themselves from sexual abuse and violence stemming from early marriage. The training at a boarding school in Transmara in western Kenya is an incentive for parents to allow their daughters to stay in school instead of undergoing the female genital cutting ritual that is still common in Maasai girls between the ages of 8 and 17. (AP video: Zelipha Kirobi/ Production: Jackson Njehia / March 7, 2025)
By Nicholas Komu And Zelipha Kirobi The Associated Press
KILGORIS, Kenya (AP) — “I am worth defending!” a group of girls chant as they each take up a fighting stance.
They are about to practice combat techniques. And no, they are not part of a martial arts club. They are Maasai girls living at a boarding school in Transmara in western Kenya, which doubles up as a rescue center for teens who …
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