Supporting the Maasai

The Maasai is one of the most famous tribes in Africa. In the past, they traveled as nomads but nowadays this is no longer possible, so they live in settlements. One of the poorest settlements is Oloonkolin in the Trans Mara area, in the southwest of Kenya. 7000 Maasai are living here in poor living conditions. There is little or no access to the basic necessities of life. That is why the Oloonkolin foundation supports this group of people. Oloonkolin is convinced that by sharing knowledge you can create sustainable development among and by the population itself. They therefore focus on education and knowledge sharing, but also on improving living conditions.

Our experiences

Before we went to the Oloonkolin Foundation, we did not really know what to expect. Visiting a traditional tribe in Kenya is not something you experience everyday. We had to travel 10 hours from the capital Nairobi to arrive in Oloonkolin. Once we arrived they performed a traditional dance for us  and gave us beautiful Maasai jewelry as a present. We stayed in a beautifully colored Maasai cottage which had, to our surprise, a western toilet and a hot shower.

The first day we discussed the program and there was time to get to know the community. We recorded all the interviews on the second and third day. We did this on the bank of the Mara River which was located 50 meters behind our house. The Maasai Mara, one of the most famous safari areas in Africa, was located on the other side of the river.

We had to interrupt the interviews for a few times because of the sound the hippo’s in the river were making. We can say that we have done interviews in more boring places.  The rest of the week we visited all the projects of the Oloonkolin Foundation and lived together with the community as a family. This has been one of the most special experiences we’ve had so far. To be in such a special place with wild animals, a traditional tribe that welcomed us as family. And of course to see and film all the beautiful projects in Oloonkolin.

What do they need?

Donations

To be able to help these people, donations are of great importance. The mortality rate among children and illnesses is a big problem. To improve health care for the Maasai, a lot of money is needed. Better health care and more knowledge sharing about hygiene among the people ultimately yields far more than good health. Because of this, they can work, go to school, because parents die less early, there are fewer orphans, and less money has to be spent on medicines. Do you want to help? Donate via the form below! 

Volunteers

There is need for volunteers with specific knowledge, related to their projects. Contact us or Oloonkolin if you want to know more about volunteering at Oloonkolin Foundation.

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