Maasai Women Milk a Camel

By Donna Stokes

October 3, 2019

Last Updated: April 21, 2010

Donna Stokes is managing editor for Heifer International's magazine, World Ark. The past two weeks she's shared experiences from her visit to projects in Tanzania.

We have our hard-working Heifer staff to thank for meeting us late at the office in Mbeya in south-central Tanzania so we could upload this video I promised of Maasai women milking a camel. The women's group received the camels about a year and a half ago. Some of the first training they received was on milking, and a special process they use to naturally preserve and pasteurize the milk.

Video by Dave Anderson

In Tanzania, Maasai women wear traditional dress while milking camels by hand. Heifer International gave camels and training to many Maasai people since the animals are more drought tolerant than traditional cattle.