The Maa Trust is a non-profit organization working with community-owned conservancies in the Maasai Mara, Kenya. A permanent presence in remote Kenya, The Maa Trust empowers local people by promoting small business startups, micro finance programs, education, and construction projects. The organization’s most successful social enterprise programs allow Maasai women to make their own money and to invest in their family’s development.
The Maa Trust approached LONDONmiddlebury to help with their digital reach. We started by managing the nonprofit’s existing WordPress based website and Google Ad grant for their Maa Beadwork initiative. Shortly thereafter we began discussions of a website overhaul. Their existing website was out-of-date and vulnerable.
We packed our bags and flew to Kenya to meet with The Trust. We ran through our discovery process to map the content that needed to be prioritized, understand the different audiences visiting the site, and get a feel for the story we needed to tell.
We launched a new Wix-based website that focused on the hard work that’s always to be done. ‘Emaendaleo Tenkaraki Ing’uesi’, Swahili for development because of wildlife’, runs through the narrative, educating donors and partner organizations on the three pillars of the organization: sustainable livelihoods, education and skills, water and health. Beyond the story, the team now manages updates to the website from their remote headquarters, adding reports, creating blog posts, and updating projects weekly. The new platform means they can focus on their work with the community.
The Maa Trust team is thrilled with their new online presence and are getting rave reviews from around the globe. LONDONmiddlebury maintains an advisory role with The Trust’s communications team and is currently working on a new eCommerce site for Maa Beadwork.
