In a manyatta on the edge of Namunyak Community Conservancy, twelve Samburu women sit in a circle threading glass beads onto wire. Each colour has meaning — red for bravery, white for purity, blue for the sky. They are the Namunyak Women's Cooperative, and since joining Discover Kenya in 2024, their beadwork workshops have become one of our most-booked cultural experiences.
The Beginning
Founded in 2018 by elder Naomi Leparsacha, the cooperative started as a savings group. Women pooled beadwork income to pay school fees and medical bills. Tourism was an afterthought until a Discover Kenya field officer visited during a conservancy assessment and saw an opportunity.
The Experience Today
Travellers arrive at the manyatta after a short drive from Samburu National Reserve. Over three hours, they learn four traditional patterns, hear stories of Samburu warrior culture, and share chai under an acacia tree. Each guest leaves with their own bracelet and a deeper understanding of northern Kenya's matriarchal craft traditions.
Before Discover Kenya, tourists bought beads at lodges but never met the makers. Now they sit with us, and 85% of the workshop fee stays in our community fund.
Naomi Leparsacha, Cooperative Founder
Impact by the Numbers
- 43 verified reviews, 5.0 average rating
- 12 women employed full-time through workshop income
- KES 1.2M distributed to community fund in 2025
- 3 girls sponsored through secondary school from tourism revenue