Very important to note was the sharp increase in awareness created on the negative aspects of Gender based violence and the importance of respecting women. Naturally and globally known, the Maasai community is very staunch when it comes to up holding culture and respecting the words of the ancestors. Traditionally, in the Maasai culture, it was unheard-of for a woman to be found in the same sitting with the elders or even getting any close to such a summit. Her place was in the kitchen, and so when it was necessary for the elders to meet, she would sit afar of, and watch from a distance.  Contrary to that, women, in the recent past have been allowed to attend the barazas and even air out their view and give ideas.

With the particular help of the senor chief, and the chef himself, ABANTU was able to convene a meeting with the community dwellers of Lakipia west as well as various community enders to begin the 16 days of activism against gender based violence, with the theme: “From peace in the home to peace in the world”.

The chief reported an improvement in behaviour change, pointing out that the youth were fur more cautious of their sexual behaviour than they were before the arrival of ABANTU, explaining that they have been effectively using protected sex unlike before. The evident result of this positive behaviour change as he cited, were the drastic drop on new HIV infection rate, unplanned pregnancies and premature women deaths as a result of brutal violence.

He also celebrated the fact that the burden of the women in the community had gotten lighter ever since the campaign on gender based violence against women began. On this, he reported that, the men were more willing to help in the home stead chores and respected women more. Priority was also given to girl child wellbeing, noting that the girls were now enrolled in schools and forced early marriages had dropped. He continued to urge the men as the heads of the homesteads to teach by means of demonstration, the young men as they grow the importance of respecting women and not over burdening them.

Like his counterpart, the senior chief was also very happy to note that Peace had prevailed in Likipia West, pointing back to some dark days in 2006, when there was fierce fighting between two neighbouring communities and the most vulnerable groups affected during the fights and brutal attacks as well as lack of food were women and children. He commended the youths for passionately guarding their peace and ensuring that the neighbourhoods were safe for all the community dwellers as well as visitors declaring that peace was each and every one’s duty.

The chairperson of one of the groups Maundu ni Meri, which was started in 1992 was grateful to ABANTU for ‘showing them the light’. He reemphasised on the total increase in behaviour change which has greatly contributed to the drop in HIV infections as a result of ABANTU’s intervention. He however, cautioned the community against spreading stigma as a triumphant way of protecting both the infected and affected. Statistically, he noted that there were a total 152 orphans and 36 HIVAIDS related cases that he was dealing with in his group.