Programs That Begin With People
Every ADEA program responds to a real challenge voiced by the community, designed not for charity, but for change that lasts.
Our Current Programs
In Rombo, development isn’t dropped in from outside, it’s grown from the inside out. Every ADEA program begins with a conversation:
What’s changing? What’s missing? What matters most to you and your family?
From those conversations come programs that are both practical and deeply personal, because they reflect the real needs, skills, and dreams of the community. What started with education has now grown into a full-circle journey from crisis to confidence, from hunger to self-sufficiency.
Leadership Development
What does it mean to be a Maasai leader today? For many youth, the answer lies at the crossroads of tradition and transition. Our leadership development program ensures they don’t have to choose between the two. Through inter-term workshops, mentorship from Kenyan professionals, and cultural identity sessions, students gain: Practical life skills – including budgeting, banking, personal grooming, and interview prep. Civic and ethical grounding – conversations on corruption, time management, and personal accountability. Cultural confidence – an understanding of Maasai history, values, and what it means to lead as a “New Maasai” in modern Kenya. The goal is to nurture youth who are not just employable, but deeply rooted and future-focused, ready to influence their families, communities, and beyond.
Academic & Performance Support
In Rombo, education can be fragile. One missed school fee or failed crop, and a student risks being sent home, sometimes for good. For girls, this often leads to early marriage. For boys, dangerous urban jobs. For families, it’s a cycle of shame and lost potential. Our support system ensures students not only stay in school but also thrive. It includes: Keep Kids in School (KKIS): Covers school fees, meals, and uniforms to ensure students remain enrolled through graduation. KKIS+1 Year: A crucial post-high school year that prepares students for employment through skill training. Bright Future Clubs: After-school groups where students tutor and encourage each other, building peer support and academic confidence. Parental Engagement: We work with families to reduce home chores and support a culture of learning. To remain eligible for continued support, students must maintain at least a C average, giving them accountability and a sense of achievement.
Vocational Training & Practical Workshops
After high school, many students face a gap, a space between who they are and what the world demands. ADEA fills that space with skills, confidence, and opportunity. Our one-year vocational and professional development track includes: English Fluency – Crucial for tourism, business, and internet learning. Computer Literacy – Typing and use of MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint). Hospitality & Culinary Arts – Students learn to serve, cook, and manage hospitality environments, followed by internships in world-class safari lodges across Amboseli and Tsavo. Fashion & Gift Production (2026) – Students will be introduced to apparel design and bead-based items, integrating creativity with commercial viability. This program gives students more than job skills; it gives them a toolkit for life.
Beads For Fees
In Maasai culture, beadwork isn’t just art, it’s a way of telling stories, honoring milestones, and preserving identity. With Beads for Fees, we’ve turned that cultural wisdom into an income-generating, school-supporting initiative. Here’s how it works: Mothers and community artisans craft beadwork near the schools. Students assist and learn the cultural and artistic practice of beading, connecting them to their roots. Parents stay involved in the education process, watching their children grow, not just academically, but artistically. Beads for Fees isn’t just a project. It’s a bridge between generations, between culture and education, between beauty and function.
Empowering one student changes a family. Empowering a generation transforms a community.
On The Horizon
We envision a Rombo where Maasai youth and families thrive, these projects are the next building blocks of that future.
ADEA/PMD Campus
A future home for growth: vocational classrooms, a professional kitchen, a mini guest lodge, and administrative offices to better serve our students and community.
English Empowers / Rombo Reads
We’re advancing early literacy with creative tools like ABC khangas (educational textiles), mobile libraries, and English teacher training to make reading more accessible in both schools and homes.
Computer Labs
We’re working toward equipping every secondary school in Rombo with computer labs and offline access to learning platforms (like RACHEL), giving students digital skills and curriculum support..
Rombo Maasai Youth Festival
An annual celebration of culture, civic awareness, and future visioning where Rombo’s youth gather to engage in career guidance, traditional arts, and democratic learning.