Mission Statement
We are a Community Based and Non-Profit Organization located in the Kajiado District of S. Kenya. The goal of this project is first and foremost to support orphaned Maasai children identified as being the most at risk in terms of meeting their daily life requirements. We pay school fees, provide food items, and cover health costs for our children.
|
Current Situation
The Amboseli region is one characterized in the mind of any westerner as a haven for wildlife viewing and eco-tourism. Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, stands only 75km south from the Amboseli Orphans’ project site; while Amboseli National Park, containing the highest density of Elephant populations anywhere in Kenya lays only 15km to the west. Tourists flock to this region yearly in great numbers, but rarely stop to fully appreciate the poverty and devastation facing the local Maasai people. The Maasai are semi-nomadic, relying primarily on livestock as their main livelihood and source of income. However, several droughts since the turn of the 21st century have crippled the Maasai’s herds; the worst occurring in 2008-2009 when over 90% of many livestock populations perished. As a result, the already impoverished Maasai people have been thrown into a difficult economic situation and are struggling to meet their daily needs. As the current rate of people living with HIV/AIDS in Kenya is now about 7%, many children are left to fend for themselves or are “adopted” by family friends or members. These are the children we are most concerned with. Although the Amboseli region’s infrastructure is well suited to support the high tourism traffic, it is still extremely rural and community orphanages rarely exist. The children in this project have been orphaned as the result of HIV/AIDS, parental suicide, road accidents, or other curable diseases and are now living with an aunt, uncle, grandparent, or some other form of caretaker who typically have their own children to care for. The result is that although these children do receive some care, as far as basic needs are concerned, they only get the bottom of the barrel and many are barely scraping by. In fact, before this project, many children between the ages of 7 -11 were not even attending primary school. Although this organization was formed out of a situation of poverty and desperation, the overriding story is one of triumph and empowerment. If it weren’t for the connections made between two people with similar mindsets but different backgrounds, none of this could be possible. We hope to work together and empower the children and their caretakers to find success and happiness in whatever ways they desire. We will simply take care of their school, food, and health fees. That’s what we do Future Goals
In addition to installing several community water points (bore holes) around the Amboseli Region, we hope to employ several locals by way of income generating activities. The most immediate activity we wish to begin is purchasing a pair of piki pikis (small motorcycles) which act as local transport. We intend to privately contract two drivers to work as a taxi service daily. As payment for usage of the purchased motorcycles, they would be required to give a certain dollar amount of their weekly earnings which would be invested into the project. Additionally, they would be benefiting from the residual funds they would raise for themselves and their family. Project Benchmarks
|
Click here to donate!With one quarter you can support a child's education for two weeks. That's right two weeks! Another quarter will feed that same child for one day. That's three full meals of rice, beans, and vegetables.
Above: Project Location. Kimana, Kenya.
|
