Project to build a well for a Southern Kenyan Maasai Community
~ Peggy Kaufmann
On my safari in Kenya last October, we were hosted and befriended by professional guides from the local Maasai community. From them, we learned about the crisis facing the local people due to the drought affecting many parts of Kenya and other African nations. Their livelihood depends on grazing livestock (cows, goats and sheep), which are rapidly dying from lack of water and grazeable land which has totally dried out.
We also witnessed the drought on our safari, which I found totally heartbreaking. The animals in the national park are dying from lack of food and water, which is worse because of climate change. Even the rainy seasons are producing much less water than they used to. I am in regular touch with my friend from the local village where we are building the well, and he tells me how this drought is affecting his community. They have to walk for miles every day just to find clean water to use for their families and their livestock, which is dwindling. The wild animals break through fences built by farmers and pastoralists to find water, which creates danger for the community.
On recommendation from my Maasai friend, I connected with the local Kenyan Rotary Club Community Service Director, Moses Keteko, who is a hydrologist and is organizing the effort to drill a well in a local Maasai village near Amboseli National Park, where we visited. We are sending all funds collected to his organization, and they are overseeing using it to build a well.
Because the area is so dry, the well has to be dug to the deepest level, which means we need to raise about $18,000 altogether. So far, I have sent about $4,400 for the first two steps. So we now need to raise between $13,000 and $14,000 more to finish what we started.
At Unity, the Social Justice Circle, with the full backing of the Board of Trustees, has fully embraced this challenge.
More information to come soon! In the meantime, please consider donating to the GoFundMe for this project!
Do a 30-Day Water Challenge to raise your own consciousness about water usage and make a difference too!
Photos from Peggy’s trip
