We are rooted back in 1970s, where a Datoga Pastoralist woman of 9 children lost her husband in the witness of one of her 11years old son among many others. This woman stood bravely and courageously, ensuring the family stayed safe, progressing as if her husband were present. This woman went beyond her jurisdiction by maintaining, supporting and helping vulnerable people who used to get aid from her husband. She never let one go away without any promising help, which cost even to borrow from her neighbours just to satisfy the needy. This nature created a constant flow of people with different needs, but rarely did her children witness anyone going back without genuine attendance. No one among her children believed that to be possible, but as time went on, they came to be used to that scenario. Remember, it is not common at all, among the Datoga society, for a widow to do such tremendous work of serving her kids, kids of her co-wives and extending to saving the entire population of the needy surrounding her and beyond. Her children have been wondering, seeing and experincing sufferings of neighbouring orphans whose fathers died contrary to them. One day, one of her sons (Gidamudatur) asked his mother (Daeyeg), “Daeyeg! How do you do all these, of helping many other people inlcunding us, still satisfying our needs?” Mother (Daeyeg) replied, “If you do as I’m doing, the world will know you better, and wealth will follow you wherever you go”
These inspirational words pushed Gidamudatur to fight many battles of protecting, caring, upringing and defending his family and his society from outside enemies, where he became among of the top heroes of the Datoga Society. Any one who has ever read Datoga History knows this very well what it means. Gidamudatur was motivated and inspired by his mother’s words, which made him believe that doing more good than harm is a source of wealth. Other young heroes of Datoga, when they found themselves on top within their tribe, made the majority of heroes satisfied. But this was not the case for Gidamudatur, he wanted to reach beyond societal scope with the notion to prove to his mother (Daeyeg) that he can do more good than harm and beyond the mother’s efforts. At first He was fighting for personal wealth while meeting the needs of the vulnerable people as Daeyeg had been doing in her entire life, but as much as he was doing, he found himself not really doing as his mother did. This man never looked at how much he had but at how much help was needed. Because of the family hardships, Gidamudatur was obligated to start a business in very small scale of selling maize corns, veterinary services as a matching guy, which he encountered uncounted embarrassment from the authorities like tax collectors and quality assuresdue to insufficient capital. But he tolerated all the challenges so that his family would survive and those in need could not go empty when they came seeking refuge.
As of today, he owns 5 companies with international credibility and a very good reputation, yet he still has the notion that Deayega did greater things than him. He once said, “I have not done enough as Daeyeg did; she gave out of nothing, I gave out of something I earned”. Daeyeg was established in 2021. The best way to honour this conqueror was agreed to be establishing a charitable organization for her name, where all her tremendous deeds will ever be commemorated for generations in 2021 and became registered in 2023. From the beginning of this story, only two names have been used, like Daeyeg and Gidamudatur, due heroic history behind such names. After the arrival of the missionaries, Daeyeg became named Jackline Bajuta, and Gidamudatur became Gesso Heghon Bajuta. Why ‘Daeyeg Foundation’ and not Jackline Bajuta Foundation? In the beginning, the organization was registered as “Jackline Bajuta Foundation” in 20223. In 2026, the name was changed from being Jackline Bajuta Foundation to ‘Daeyeg Foundation’ as per a resolution passed on February 15th 2025. Come and join us in catalysing many women and men through Daeyeg’s story.
Our work is driven by a clear mission to empower communities through practical, sustainable solutions, while our vision shapes a future where opportunity, dignity, and resilience are accessible to all. Every program we implement reflects this commitment—turning purpose into action and impact into lasting change.
