Maasai society is strongly patriarchal and all major decisions involving the tribe are decided by the village elders. Oral laws passed down from generation to generation cover most aspects of their behavior. Maasai men are born and raised to be warriors, while the women spend most of their time learning to cook, clean, prepare food, and other duties they are expected to perform. Cultural taboos prevent women from owning land, denying them freedom of mobility and the opportunity to cultivate land for food or business. Abuse, physical, verbal and emotional, is generally accepted within the pastoralist community. In many circumstances, women admit that they do not know that they are being “abused,” and that they think this is a normal way for women to be treated.
Rehema is a victim of the Masaai culture, regardless that her marriage was not traditional. Her husband constantly abused her physically, verbally and emotionally, to the extent that she made a decision to leave her home when the husband made a decision to take another wife against the Monogamous marriage they had. Rehema had the right to the property that they earn when they were together and access to her 4 kids. Unfortunately, she was denied all her rights and even her family was against her decision to take the man to court to claim for her right. Rehema's kids were removed from school with their father so they can take care of cattle that she used to take care of. Knowing the "value" of their daughters when they will reach the age of marrying them off, (bride price), the husband made a decision to deny the right to stay with her kids. Rehema seek Legal support to get her rights - to have access to her kids - (she is not allowed to even see them). Rehema met her husband when he had only one cow and three goat - she work hard and by the time she was leaving they had 10 cows and 100 goats.
Rehema wants her kids to have access to education because this is the only way they will be able to have a meaningful life and she also want to change the perception that women have no value in their community and they can now own property because they are men' property.