Dear Friends,
I send much greetings to you all during this year 2009 .The year 2008 was a year where Maasai had a very hard time due to our way of life as livestock keepers.As you may recall,Kenya was faced by an election violence in 2007.This made the life of common people very difficult as food stuff became scarce.The little supplies were very expensive.The Maasai were not spared by these effects which were more catapulted by the persistent drought.In Many Maasai regions,rain has never fallen for the last three years.many Maasai lost their cattle. Donkeys that are used for fetching water by the women also died.Women walk for several kilometers every day in such of this basic commodity.The loss of donkeys meant a lot to the life and health of Maasai women.
The year 2009 was a year that gave the Maasai the hardest way of living in the recent decades.Many livestock died between January and May in many parts of the Land.Some little rain fell in some parts near Nairobi and the Ngong hills.This is the region near Karen and the Ngong forest.However,rain did not fall in other parts of the land.All the Maasai livestock flocked this area overgrazing it in a period of two months.Hundreds of thousands of cows concentrated in a small ecological zone.This created a lot of imbalance on nature. All the same,many charity organizations and the government tried to help the communities with relief food.SIMOO benefited from various donors to help save peoples lives.Among them include Lindsey Kneuven and her friends,MCEP, CKPC,Hussey foundation,Megan (Australia),Gayl Naisula and other friends who prayed for the Maasai and Kenya.Thank you all so much for your help.
This year seems to give the Nomads the hardest challenge in their mode of life.Many cows have started to starve to death due to lack of pasture.This means that their source of livelihood is endangered.Many children will drop out of school.Many families may break because of poverty challenges.The Meteorological center predicts the El nino rains as from October 2009.As many cows have started to starve,it means that most of them will be long dead by the month of September.Hard times are ahead for Maasai and other communities that keep cows and rely on rain for survival.Our challenge is to drill more wells, use well water for irrigation as well as use the best economical methods for food production.Thank you all and may God bless you.
Your Maasai Friend,
Francis ole Sakuda
Executive Director
Dear Friends,
We are very fine and our work is going on smoothly. We have received some rains but we hope to get more. Regarding our projects the following has been accomplished.
1. The St Peters well is doing very well. We have a water cistern and pipeline at the well. Many families are now getting very clean and a reliable water source provided by this well. We can’t forget thanking the Anonymous Donor for this gift of water. Water is life and life can be very very challenging without water.
2. The Rotary water well is also doing very well. This water source is situated at a more remote community of Maasai land in our region. It is supplying water to many herds of livestock as well as for domestic uses. This community has also started to plant tree seedlings so that the well environment can provide shade for the water cistern and the people who will be fetching water at the well, saving them from the scorching sun.
3. Development of water ponds. SIMOO has made 13 water ponds in different communities last year and early this year in an effort to eradicate poverty and water shortage. This water is collected from rainwater runoff and used for livestock watering. Many Maasai cows die due to long treks in search of water. This will help reduce a lot of walking by cattle.
4. Fences. SIMOO has also provided 50 wire fences to 50 families. One acre is fenced in each homestead and help train the Maasai to harvest hay. A lot of hay has been collected which will save many families that have few cattle from buying hay. It will also help many cows from dying of starvation in the dry season.
5. Education. We have received more funds for the education projects. All these children have been able to attend schooling without any stumbling block. Previously, most of these children could not attend school due to lack of shoes, uniform or school fees. SIMOO is able to cater for all their needs and they are now enjoying learning like any other kids from able families. Their lives are no longer the same.
We hope to achieve more this year with the help of our partners and friends. We can all change the world for the better. The Maasai have received only a helping hand from MCEP.
Francis ole Sakuda
Executive Director - SIMOO