"A SEAT AT THE TABLE: Table Banking in Olepolos, Kenya" offers a look into how table banking has changed the Maasai community of Olepolos, Kenya. Table banking is a form of community-based microfinance. In this thesis you will hear the story of Sintalo Sena’s life, business, and her first-hand experience with table banking. Alongside Sintalo, interviews with Sarone Ole Sena (a Professor of Anthropology and Maasai cultural expert) will help provide insights about the Maasai people to help us understand the cultural context of Sintalo’s life.
By sharing stories and experiences with Sintalo’s table banking group, we will be discussing how table banking acts as a driving force for progress. By embracing entrepreneurship and table banking, women in Olepolos challenge traditional gender roles and redefine societal norms, paving the way for economic inclusivity. By shedding light on her experiences and obstacles, this study shows how many Maasai women, like Sintalo, break down these economic barriers and reshape Kenya’s economic landscape. In this thesis, the core concept of "a seat at the table" acts as a guiding principle in our family philosophy, which runs parallel to the values of table banking, which promotes a vision where every individual, regardless of gender or economic standing, can participate and have a seat at the table.