A sanctuary of hope

Nearly every weekend, Tang Lin and Yuan Lin set out across Kenya's Maasai Mara plains, their vehicle packed with supplies — sneakers, clothes, sweets and daily essentials — destined for the 29 girls under their care.

On the edge of the world-renowned Maasai Mara National Reserve in Narok County stands the Namunyak rescue center, a modest yet vibrant refuge for girls whose futures were once uncertain. Its name, Namunyak, means "happiness" in the Maasai language.

Tang and Yuan, both from Southwest China's Chongqing, first came to Kenya to pursue careers in tourism. As the number of Chinese visitors to the East African country increased, their business grew steadily. In 2019, they made a leap and purchased an eco-lodge in Maasai Mara. What began as an entrepreneurial venture soon blossomed into an unexpected mission of compassion.

Shortly after opening their lodge, a local woman named Mary Silantoi approached them. Volunteering with the county's department for women and children affairs, Silantoi had taken in several girls who had fled early marriage or female genital mutilation. She asked for space to run a small shop at the lodge to support their care.

According to a report released by the local government, girls aged 10 to 19 account for about 30 percent of pregnant women in the area. Many, still children themselves, are married off by their families in exchange for a few cows.

Female Genital Mutilation, or FGM, is defined by WHO as any procedure that involves partial or total removal of the external genitalia and/or injury to the female genital organs for cultural or any other non-therapeutic reasons.

In 2011, the Kenyan government passed the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Act into law, imposing harsh criminal penalties for cutting, including no less than three years' imprisonment.

However, according to the Kenya Demographic & Health Survey data for 2022, the prevalence of FGM stands at 15 percent in the country.

In Narok County of Kenya, where the Maasai community occupies most parts of the region, the prevalence of FGM remains relatively high. Girls in the Maasai community are known to undergo FGM before they are married off.

In 2019, Kenya's former president Uhuru Kenyatta promised to end FGM by 2022. Under the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, UN member states have committed to ending FGM by 2030.

"I have a daughter of my own," said 48-year-old Tang. "When I saw children running barefoot and learned that so many were out of school, I couldn't look away."

"The locals helped us establish our business, and we wanted to give something back," Yuan said.

The pair decided not only to support Silantoi's shop but also to help create a permanent, safe home for the girls. That decision led to the founding of Namunyak — a community-based organization dedicated to protecting vulnerable girls.

In June 2023, Tang and Yuan bought about 6 hectares of land near Narok's Aitong Town and built what is now the Namunyak rescue center. Although modest, the center provided Silantoi and the girls with a place they could finally call their own.

Over the past two years, Tang and Yuan have repaired the girls' housing, installed electricity and a water tower, covered their school fees, and hired security guards and caretakers. Near the center stand newly built classrooms, a kitchen and toilets, along with three traditional thatched huts serving as Silantoi's office and living quarters.

Among the girls is 13-year-old Mitchell Ketere, who joined Namunyak two years ago after her father's death left her family struggling. "I want to be a chef someday. I love cooking for others," she said with a bright smile.

"These girls have endured difficult pasts, but now they radiate pride, passion and hope," said Silantoi, who devotes herself to teaching them values, resilience and self-respect. At 56, she dreams of a day when no more girls need rescuing, when every Maasai girl can enjoy a safe and happy childhood.

In March 2024, the local government officially registered Namunyak as a community-based organization, recognizing its contribution to local welfare.

For Tang and Yuan, their journey in Kenya is about more than charity. "We've built a business here, but we also built a family," Tang said. Yuan added, "Happiness means every daughter — whether in Kenya or China — can live a good life."

On the vast Maasai Mara plains, where wildlife roams free, two men from distant China have sown seeds of hope. For the 29 girls of Namunyak, happiness is no longer just a word — it is home.

Wu Xiaohui contributed to this story.