{"id":16804,"date":"2026-07-27T07:03:30","date_gmt":"2026-07-27T07:03:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/awra-group.org\/en\/?p=16804"},"modified":"2026-07-27T07:13:47","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T07:13:47","slug":"veronica-leluata","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/awra-group.org\/en\/veronica-leluata\/","title":{"rendered":"Veronica Leluata"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

VERONICA LELUATA<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Veronica Leluata is a grassroots advocate and Outreach Coordinator with the SAFE Samburu Project, where she works across Samburu East creating awareness on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), child marriage, girls’ education, and women’s empowerment. Her work is rooted in her own life experiences and a deep commitment to ensuring that Samburu girls have the opportunity to grow, learn, and choose their own future.<\/span><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

Born and raised in a small village in the Westgate Conservancy in Samburu County, Veronica’s childhood was shaped by hardship and resilience. She walked to school barefoot, often passing through areas with wild animals, not knowing what the future had in store for her. Raised by a single mother, she considers herself fortunate to have had the chance to go to school. While she was in Class Seven, her stepfather wanted her to leave school and get married, but her late mother stood firm and refused. That decision changed Veronica’s life.<\/span><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

After completing Form Four, she made a promise to herself that she would use her voice to protect other girls from going through early marriage and FGM. She knew too well what it meant to have someone believe in your future, and she wanted every girl to have that same chance.<\/span><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

Today, Veronica works with girls and women across Samburu County, leading community awareness programmes on what she calls the “Triple Threats”\u2014FGM, child marriage, and teenage pregnancy. Through mentorship, campaigns, community workshops, and outreach activities, she encourages families to keep girls in school and challenges harmful beliefs that continue to put girls at risk.<\/span><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

Her work has reached more than 10,000 people within the community. She also uses arts, songs, and drama as tools for education because she understands that people often connect more deeply with messages that reflect their own culture and traditions.<\/span><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

One achievement she is especially proud of came in 2019 when she was elected as a board member of the Westgate Conservancy. For Veronica, this was more than a leadership position. It gave her the opportunity to encourage more women to raise their voices, participate in decision-making, and take up leadership roles within their community.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

One story continues to give her hope. For many years, girls who were not cut were treated as outcasts, and people believed they would never marry or have children. Today, she knows a young woman who chose not to undergo FGM, later got married, gave birth to a healthy five-year-old daughter, and lives happily within the community without facing the stigma that once existed. To Veronica, this is proof that change is possible and that communities can let go of harmful beliefs while preserving what is good in their culture.<\/span><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

The journey has not been easy. She has faced rejection and intimidation from morans who insisted that girls must undergo FGM because they would never marry an uncut woman. Those experiences tested her resolve, but joining SAFE Samburu gave her the knowledge, confidence, and support she needed to continue standing up for girls.<\/span><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

What makes Veronica’s approach different is her use of arts, songs, drama, and community workshops to start conversations around FGM and girls’ rights. She believes change happens more easily when people learn through familiar cultural expressions rather than confrontation.<\/span><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

Supporting one another mentally and emotionally is at the centre of her work. To Veronica, sisterhood means standing with one another through difficult moments, reminding each other that no one is walking this journey alone. She says that whenever she feels discouraged, she reaches out to one of her sisters for encouragement, and that support gives her the strength to keep going.<\/span><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

She believes ending FGM is a collective responsibility and calls on everyone to support frontline advocates,not only financially but also emotionally because lasting change requires communities to stand together.<\/span><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

Speaking about the Samburu community, Veronica describes it as a people rich in culture, known for their beautiful beadwork, colourful clothing, traditional songs, and strong sense of identity. She acknowledges that men have traditionally been the custodians of culture and decision-making, while women carry much of the responsibility for family life. Even so, she believes positive change is happening as more girls remain in school and more families begin to see education as a pathway to a better future.<\/span><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

Her greatest dream is to see every Samburu girl stay in school, remain free from FGM, and choose marriage on her own terms. She believes education is the safest place for a girl because it protects her future and opens doors that harmful practices can never offer.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\tStrong woman.\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tVeronica Leluata<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tFacebook<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tX-twitter<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tYoutube<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tLinkedin<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tVimeo<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

VERONICA LELUATA Veronica Leluata is a grassroots advocate and Outreach Coordinator with the SAFE Samburu Project, where she works across Samburu East creating awareness on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), child […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":16805,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"nf_dc_page":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[82],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16804","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-s2sprofiles"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/awra-group.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/SISTER-2-SISTER-VERONICA.png?fit=960%2C1200&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/awra-group.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16804","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/awra-group.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/awra-group.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awra-group.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awra-group.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16804"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/awra-group.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16804\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16812,"href":"https:\/\/awra-group.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16804\/revisions\/16812"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awra-group.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16805"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/awra-group.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16804"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awra-group.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16804"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awra-group.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16804"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}