Agnes Pareyio

Agnes Pareyio was born on 24th June 1956 at Enaibor Ajijik village of Narok district.

She grew up in an ordinary Maasai village at Enaiborr Ajijik. During her childhood, she joined a rural primary school between 1964 – 1970. On completing Std. 7, she joined Kilgoris secondary school between 1971 – 1973.

Agnes is married and a mother of 4. 3 sons and 1 daughter

She started working in 1975 as untrained teacher. Taught in 3 different schools namely Sakutiek, Enaiborr Ajijik and Ilkarampuni. In 1984, she resigned from the teaching profession and joined business. During this period, she started involving herself in women activities. In 1985, she was elected treasurer Maendeleo Ya Wanawake Organization, A big women organization in Kenya.

In 1988 to 1998 she was nominated to Narok County Council as a nominated councilor. She served in that capacity for ten years.

In 2002, she was elected as a councilor for Upper Melili Ward. She is also the Vice-Chairman to the council to date.

During that period, she was employed by Maendeleo Ya Wanawake as a district coordinator to campaign against harmful traditional practices. During her tenure as a treasurer, she was taken for several trainings on reproductive health for capacity building. She served as a treasurer from 1985 – 2001.

When she was doing awareness on effects of FGM; in 1998 she started receiving girls who were running away from FGM. She realized that there is need for a temporary place where these girls could run to as they await for reconciliation. In the same year, she met a group of women from (V-Day America) who were advocating for violence against women. The women were send by Maendeleo to see her work. They found her a in a sensitization session with teachers from Mosiro zone; - they were impressed by her work. After the session, they asked her the challenges she faced in the course of my work. She told them that, one major challenge is that she has started receiving girls running away from FGM and she has no place to keep them.

These women promised to assist with funds to put up the center. After that, she resigned from Maendeleo Ya Wanawake to concentrate with rescuing girls.

In the year 2000, V-Day organization donated money and construction work of the safe house begun.

The construction work included a dormitory that can accommodate 48 girls, a dinning hall, a kitchen, a lecture hall and an office.

In the year 2001 the center was officially opened by Eve Ensler the founder of V-day organization in America.

She has attended regional meetings in Tanzania, Atlanta and New York.

Tasaru girls rescue center became a bee-hive of activities as girls discovered a safe place. Women C.B.O called Tasaru Ntomonok Initiative, which is non-profit making humanitarian and non-political, run the center.