Assessment of Women Participation in Rural Development and Their Contribution towards Education of Maasai Girls in Simanjiro District, Tanzania

Diana L. Sendeka
Mukulat Secondary School, Arusha District
sendekadiana@gmail.com

Paul Raphael Kitula
Saint Augustine University of Tanzania
kitula07@gmail.com

Abstract: The study assessed women participation in rural development and its contribution towards the education of Maasai girls in Simanjiro district. Specifically, the study aimed to determine the influence of this participation on education access among Maasai girls and investigated the strategies to improve women participation in community development to enhance education access for Maasai girls. The study was guided by the social capital theory. The study adopted the convergent design and targeted a population of 149,536 individuals including public secondary school students, teachers, ward executive officers and women in Simanjiro district. The sample of the study included 100 participants who were selected using stratified and simple random sampling techniques. The study used questionnaires and interview guides as tools for data collection validated by three experts in the field of women rights advocacy. The tools were pilot tested in two schools involving six students and 4 teachers. The reliability was ensured through split half method where the reliability coefficients (0.93 for teachers’ and 0.88 for students’ questionnaires) were obtained. The study found out that women involvement in community development positively influenced girls’ education by advocating for educational resources and policy changes. It was concluded that increasing women participation in community development could enhance education opportunities for Maasai girls. The study recommended addressing cultural barriers, raising awareness about gender equality, implementing education and training programmes for women and encouraging inclusive dialogue to enhance women awareness of their rights and legal protections.