Daraja Cascade Blog Update - Monday, January 29: Exploring Kenya's Arts and Foods

Hi everyone! We’ve spent our past couple of blogs focusing on the girls at Daraja, but we also wanted to talk about all of the amazing cultural experiences we’ve had in and around Nanyuki. One of our first off-campus trips was to visit an open-air market in town. There, we saw rows of stalls and vendors selling everything from clothes and shoes to fresh fruits and vegetables. The market was beautiful and so colorful, as we walked around we saw piles of fresh produce that we had never seen before, we were even able to try a fruit called a pepino!

We met with various women’s groups who sold handmade crafts. The first of which was Mitumba Arts, a shop in Nanyuki that sells clothes and crafts made from repurposed materials bought at the markets. We even bought some adorable cloth giraffes made from recycled clothing. We were able to see the women’s work space and talk to one of the designers. She taught us about the repurposing process and the ways in which it serves not only the community with affordable goods, but also the environment.

Another women’s organization we visited was the Weavers and Spinners in Nanyuki. These women founded a business in 1974 through which they are able to sell their woven goods and teach visitors about the weaving and spinning process. The women use all natural materials to create beautiful wool tapestries, rugs, and throws. The process includes harvesting sheep wool, spinning the wool into yarn, cleaning and dying the wool, and finally weaving their designs. We were able to observe each step, and the women encouraged us to ask questions about their work. At the end of our tour we visited the showroom; it was hard to resist dipping into our shillings to purchase one of the beautiful pieces.

The final and most memorable women’s group we interacted with was the Twala Cultural Manyatta. They are a group of Massai women, who gather from different communities and sell their goods with the goal of giving women agency through education and fighting against forced marriages and FGM. When we arrived we were welcomed with a traditional Massai song and dance. The women took our hands and included us in their welcoming celebration. After that, Rosemary Nenini, the founder of the group, gave us a tour of their land. In addition to selling their handmade goods, they support themselves by growing and selling aloe vera to both local and international enterprises such as LUSH cosmetics. Once we finished the tour, Rosemary shared her story with us, and we were inspired by her passion for women’s rights and education. Although the collective fights against some negative aspects of Massai culture, Rosemary emphasized the importance of preserving the beauty of Massai culture as well. We saw this both in our welcome dance and in the traditional clothing and jewelry worn by the women.They invited us to explore the array of beaded jewelry and carvings that they had set up. Everything was so beautiful, it was difficult for us to decide what to buy! 

We can’t wait to spend our last few days with the girls, and we will keep you updated in our final blog post where we will reflect on our time at Daraja.

-Paige ‘25, Charlotte ‘25, Cameron ‘25