NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

President Barack Obama. Former Kenya Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Oscar-award winning actress Lupita Nyong’o. They’re not just of Kenyan heritage—all three are specifically of Luo heritage, the third largest ethnic group in Kenya, predominantly residing in the Nyanza province on the shores of Lake Victoria in Kenya’s western region.

The Luo standout in Kenya for another reason. They’re one of the few ethnic groups in the country that do not practice male circumcision as a rite of passage into adulthood for young boys.