This project was created to help children across the globe discover their world and create moments they would never forget. It could be a lioness sighting in the Maasai Mara, a shooting star atop Kilimanjaro, or a hearty meal shared with friends, both old and new. Through The Inspiration Project, we offered children from around the globe the opportunity to discover the world on their doorstep.
In 2017, Exodus committed to taking at least 2,017 disadvantaged children from around the world on educational and inspirational day trips. By the end of the year, we had taken a grand total of 2,023 children to iconic sites. Some of these children had never left their villages, let alone had the opportunity to explore the natural wonders and cultural heritage on their doorstep. Since 2017, more than 6,000 children across 30 countries have journeyed through some of the world’s greatest wonders, guided by our expert Exodus leaders.
In Kenya, children watched elephants play as the sun set over the Naboisho Conservancy. In India, they gazed at the Taj Mahal for the first time, and in Cambodia, they marvelled at the sprawling Angkor Wat temple complex. In Bosnia, they left the city of Sarajevo and journeyed to the peaks and gorges of Sutjeska National Park, while in Jordan, a group of children from Amman laid eyes on the majestic Petra for the first time.
We believe that travel can be transformative and a force for positive change in the lives of all involved. Our hope is that these day trips provide the inspiration that encourages children to protect and preserve the world around them as they grow up. That is why we call it The Inspiration Project.
In 2017, 99% of young girls in the Loita Hills of southwest Kenya underwent Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), a rite of passage practised in many cultures around the world, including some Maasai communities.
Since 2010, FGM survivor and abolition advocate Sarah Tenoi has been leading the way for cultural change within Maasai communities. Through her role as Project Manager for SAFE Maa, a project committed to changing FGM practices in Kenya, Sarah has been sparking critical conversations within communities about this age-old practice, questioning for the first time both its ethics and necessity.
Exodus has supported the work of SAFE Maa since 2013, and together we have raised £95,000 to continue the educational workshops and public performances that are so critical to spreading the abolition message in rural and isolated communities.
Momentously, SAFE Maa gained enough traction within the Loita Maasai community that a Declaration of Abandonment was announced by community elders in February 2019, and an alternative rite of passage was simultaneously endorsed. The declaration marked a historic step towards sustainably ending this outdated tradition in the Loita Hills.
Remarkably, in a very short period, SAFE Maa’s steadfast commitment, combined with our donations, delivered tangible results. By 2020, over 30% of girls in the Loita Hills were avoiding the cut and graduating into womanhood through the new Loita Rite of Passage (LRP).
SAFE Maa continues to broaden its reach beyond the Loita Hills and strives to sustainably end FGM practices across all Maasai communities.
