OUR PROJECTS:
CLEAN WATER
When we first visited Engong'Narok, the village (of circa 500) had only a single hand pump that offered a mere trickle of water. The people and their animals were forced to drink from a nearby swamp...
Thanks to our donors, the village now has a 10,000 liter tank, linked by underground pipe to a nearby well. The tank is inside the fence, protected from elephant incursion, accessible to all.
Animal Trough
We also built an animal trough for both livestock and wildlife, helping sustain elephant herds in nearby Amboseli National Park.
FOOD SECURITY
During the recent, year-long drought, thousands in the area suffered from serious food shortages. But Engong'Narok got through with minimal help.
That's because we rented 7 acres of farmland and, in partnership with Seed Solutions and the 4-H Club, we brought organic seeds to the village.
Though Maasai are not farmers by tradition, they got great results on their first try at farming! Chief Kelembu, shown here, credited their success to translating and following the instructions on the seed packets!
A Small Business for Unmarried Women
Sadly, single Maasai women, such as widows, are the poorest of the poor. With a goat, however, a woman can have milk, cheese, yogurt, and even a small business!
The Fund bought these women a herd of 21 goats in 2021 - one female goat for each single woman, plus three male goats to help propagate the herd. It's growing, and making life better for women who have had nothing to depend on but the kindness of friends and neighbors.
Repairs
When floods or stray elephants damage the nearby well head or water pipes, we help with repairs. This picture shows damage to the well head from the flooding of Dec. 2019.
Menses Workshop
Thanks to a grant from the Denville Sunrise Rotary Club of NJ, we were able to provide our students and their classmates with a workshop about menses, along with 250 reuseable menstrual kits. Previously, girls would often miss a week of school every month, out of shame and embarrassment. No longer!
SANITATION
Previously, the villagers' "bathrooms" were an open air corral. We have built seven outhouses since 2016. They are clean and well-kept, and are a huge upgrade in the lives of the Maasai.
2022 Boys Anti-FGM Soccer Tournament
Initiated and organized by our team,
which bought nets, balls, uniforms and whistles, the tourney is now an annual event, engaging the boys of the local villages in our efforts to elevate Maasai women.
Up-Coming Projects:
Women's Health
Among the worst physical consequences of FGM are fistulae - ulcers in private parts. As the ulcers drain, an unpleasant smell develops. Women with this condition are often shunned.
But fortunately, fistulae can be fully repaired with a simple, safe surgery - one that is provided cost-free by Fistula Foundation.
Our intention in the coming year is to arrange for 11 village women with fistula symptoms to get the medical help they need.