About Us – Maasai Youth Development Fund (ADEA)

Change Begins When Communities Lead

For nearly 20 years, we’ve partnered with Maasai communities, championing local voices, preserving cultural identity, and building pathways toward lasting independence.

Vision

We exist to empower Maasai youth and families to move beyond survival and achieve self-sufficiency through education, skill-building, and sustainable practices.

Mission

We see a future where the Maasai community thrives, is self-reliant and resilient, and preserves its cultural heritage while confidently embracing new opportunities in education, employment, and community development.

Our Approach

Listening & Collaboration: We engage directly with Maasai communities to understand their challenges, strengths, and aspirations. 
Local Leadership: We invest in local leaders, mentors, and role models who become the drivers of lasting change.  
Sustainable Impact: Every initiative we undertake is designed for sustainability, resilience, and community ownership.

Our Story

ADEA Foundation began in 2003 when Douglas McFalls visited Rombo, Kenya, recognizing both profound challenges and powerful potential within the Maasai community. Initially focused on establishing primary schools, ADEA soon expanded to individual student support, food security, home-garden agricultural and foundational adult literacy, vocational training, and women’s economic empowerment. Our approach remains deeply relational, driven by local leadership, cultural respect, and practical solutions. Nearly two decades later, we continue partnering closely with Maasai communities, turning hardships into opportunities, dreams into realities, and empowering youth and families to confidently shape their own futures.

Milestones that mark our journey

Our Founder

Douglas McFalls

Douglas founded ADEA driven by a passion for meaningful cross-cultural exchange and a commitment to community-driven solutions. His multidisciplinary background in architecture, education, and cultural studies uniquely equips him to tackle complex development challenges with creativity, compassion, and practical solutions. Douglas’s guiding principle is simple yet powerful:

“Empowering communities means listening first, learning together, and walking side by side.”