Tanzania headquarters focus on cultural preservation, education, political issues and economic development. Thanks to MERC's efforts, the Maasai are organized into 11 grassroots groups, representing various Maasai communities. Every district has a representative who acts as a coordinator at a grassroots level. We want to raise consciousness at all levels, educational, economic, social, environmental, political, cultural. We are developing and implementing community-based programs.
Education is vital in transmitting culture.
Fundraising and employment and training of Maasai are other important organizational aspects. I asked him how all of this is possible from within the bounds of a nomadic lifestyle. Meitamei agreed that the challenges are enormous. Tribal institutions are already undermined by the government of Nairobi. Traditional Tribal chiefs like Olengoshosh, who is respected by all, are being replaced by government appointed chiefs who sometimes are not even Maasai, but nevertheless have greater power than the Maasai chiefs.