Helping build a better FUTURE for maasai women and girls
About Us
The Pastoral Women’s Council is a membership organisation that empowers women at the community-level to take control of their own development. PWC serves Ngorongoro, Longido and Monduli Districts in north-eastern Tanzania.
Together the districts cover 28,337 square kilometers with a population of over 456,000 people. The majority of inhabitants in these ares are Maasai pastoralists with Sonjo, Tatoga and Hadzabe ethnic communities also living in the districts. PWC works in approximately 90 villages across the three districts. Today, we have approximately 6,500 women members and local, national and international partners that help contribute to our many achievements.
Founded in 1997 by Maanda Ngoitiko, over PWC’s 20 year history of engagement with these communities enormous positive change has been achieved in the areas of land rights and property ownership, economic and entrepreneurial development, and dramatically increased girls’ education rates.
PWC is guided in its work by four principles: SOLIDARITY, EQUALITY, TRUST and TRANSPARENCY.
Achievements
Recent positive impacts of PWC's work for the women and girls they serve include:
ACCESS TO EDUCATION
77% increase in the number of girls attending school in Ngorongoro and Loliondo divisions
RIGHTS CLAIMED
Over 300 women have secured plots of land from their village governments after learning about their rights
ECONOMIC BENEFITS
Women in four project villages in Longido have had an 80% increase in their incomes in 5 years.
Meet Our Team!
PWC is led by the Executive Director, under which sits a management team five people including the Programme Manager and Finance Manager. The Executive Director reports to the PWC Board elected by the General Assembly for a period of three years.
The General Assembly, which brings together all PWC members and the community, meets once a year to review the activities of the organisation during the year and approve its plans for the next year, and is considered the paramount organ of PWC. The PWC Board meets quarterly and approves monthly finances and plans.
PWC holds itself publicly accountable for outcomes and use of funds. Please see our Learn More page to download our Annual Reports and to learn more about our work and outcomes.