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We are building communities, making a difference, and creating a sustainable future for the Maasai people of East Africa 


2016 Projects

Maasai Association is delighted to update you on our most recent projects and progress.

Merrueshi Primary School wins $10,000 CDF academic Award!

The award, set aside by area legislators, is for the best-performing elementary school (K-8) in the region. Each year students in 8th grade compete for Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam. There are 60 primary schools in the vast Mashuuru Division of Kajiado County. Merrueshi Primary School emerged the best in educational excellence. The award was announced on March 5th at Educational day held in Oltukai Primary School. The school committee has approved to allocate the $10,000 motivational award towards classroom upgrade.

students2015

2014 Projects

New Science Lab at Maasai High School

Earlier this year we received a grant from a well-wisher to build a science lab at Maasai High School. We are delighted to report that the science lab has been completed and the students are already using the facility. The science lab is fully equipped with the latest technology and equipment. The lab will help prepare our students to succeed in their Natural Science courses. The science lab’s capacity is 40 students at a time. Maasai Association’s projects are happening because of well-wishers like you. Thank you for your continued support of our destiny. Below is a picture of the newly built science lab at Maasai High School in Merrueshi.

lab02

Dining Hall Project Completed

The dinning hall project at Merrueshi Primary School has been completed. We are currently working on fitting the dinning hall with tables and chairs. We anticipate officially opening the dinning hall soon. The dinning hall has a capacity to accommodate 400 students at a time.

dinninghall

Cows & Goat Program

In January, Maasai Association bought and distributed 18 cows to needy families in the Merrueshi area. There are more families in need of cows for milk. A cow can tremendously change a family's life in the Maasai world.

Merrueshi Village Health Center

Merrueshi Village Health Center is progressing well. We have seen a total of 3,406 patients between October 2013 and April 2014. We continue to earn a good reputation across the region as a family and community friendly health facility. Infant mortality and maternal death have been reduced as a result of our health facility. Although we have made major progress in reducing maternal mortality, we are mindful of the amount of work ahead of us. Click to visit our health center.

Maasai Schools in Merrueshi

We are pleased to report that Merrueshi schools are doing very well. Enrollment has increased and academic performance has improved. We currently have nearly 800 students enrolled in both schools. In 2013 Maasai High School was the best out of eight public schools in Mashuuru District. Forty-five students graduated from Maasai High School in 2013. Nearly all of them have moved on to colleges. Click to visit our schools.

2013 Projects

Maasai Association is delighted to announce that 4,455 patients received medical services from Merrueshi Village Health Center in 2012. A majority of our patients are women and children.

Mobile Clinic

The mobile clinic continue to bring critical healthcare services to women and children in outlying areas. The mobile clinic made it possible for us to reach 2,135 women and children between April 2012 and April 2013.

Maternity Center

The success of the maternity center at Merrueshi Village Health Center is notable. Between April 2012 and April 2013, 57 women were transported from their homes to the maternity center for clean and safe deliveries. None of the women that reached the maternity center on time was lost to childbirth. At the same time, none of the children delivered at the maternity center was lost to childbirth. This is a tremendous achievement for a community that has experienced regular infant and maternal mortality during childbirth.

2012 Projects

Maasai Association is delighted to announce that our maternity clinic at Merrueshi Village Health Center has been officially open. The colorful event was attended by hundreds of people including area MP, officials from the Ministry of Health, Councilors, and Chiefs from the area. Click image to visit the new facility.

In 2012, 4,455 patients received medical services from Merrueshi Village Health Center. A majority of our patients are women and children.

Click to see Slideshow presentation of the newly built Maternity Clinic in Merrueshi

2011 Projects

Maasai Cultural Heritage Center

We are delighted to report that Phase I of Maasai Cultural Heritage Center has been completed. The cultural heritage center includes a women cooperative aimed at giving economic opportunities to – specifically –women artisans from Merrueshi village. Click to read more about this project.

Olkatetemai Well Project

Maasai Association is pleased to announce the completion of OlKatetemai domestic well project. Click to read more and see pictures of the project

Emergency Vehicle for the Village Clinic

We are pleased to report that we purchased emergency vehicle for Merrueshi Village Clinic. The emergency vehicle will make it possible for our medical team to reach villages in the outline areas and bring vital medical services to patients in need of urgent medical attention. Emergency vehicle is a significant complement towards our goal to avert mother and infant mortality in the region.

 

Maasai Association sponsored a HIV/Aids awareness event on December 1, 2011. The event is celebrated worldwide on December 1st of every year. Click to see this event

2010 Projects

Basic medical lab is complete

We are pleased to report that Merrueshi Village Clinic recently opened a medical lab. The lab is equipped with basic but essential supplies and equipment for a rural health facility. We were fortunate to find a trained Maasai lab technician in Nairobi for the lab. The new lab has enabled our medical team to effectively diagnose and treat residents of Merrueshi and surrounding villages.

Happy spring!

We are happy to report that plenty of rains have return to our land. The villagers are slowly piecing their lives back together after the 2009 drought. Over 90 percent of our precious cows and hundreds of game animals were lost to last year’s drought. Rainwater and grass are now plentiful. With help from people like you we purchased a few cows for families that lost everything to the drought. Little by little we are making a difference.

Once more, we are truly grateful for all the support you gave us during the 2009 drought. Your support enabled us to pull through. We lost our wealth (cows) but we saved the people.

Thank you,

The Science Lab Project- January 2010

A science lab project for Maasai High School is now complete. This project was funded by individual well-wishers like you. Thank you for your continued support.

2009 Projects

The Maasai lost hundreds of cows to the most recent drought.

Sporadic rains have returned to parts of Maasai land. Although the rains are here there are no cows to eat the grass. A few cows that were returned from Mombasa continue to die from yellow fever- a disease contracted from the coast. Maasai Association is currently conducting a study on the number of cattle left per family and the level of poverty in every household in Merrueshi. The study will enable us to figure out ways to help the villagers rebuild their lives.


2008/ 09 Projects

Maasai pastoralists are faced with a serious drought

No sacred cows when dealing with global warming. Maasai cows are dying in large numbers while schools are struggling to stay open. Click to read more about the drought experience with the Maasai

Merrueshi Village Clinic

Merrueshi Village Clinic is officially opened. Over 4,000 Maasai people living in Merrueshi and neighboring communities now have access to basic healthcare services that they did not have before. We are grateful for your continuous support. Click to see the latest pictures from the clinic

Waterholes Restoration Project

We concluded the renovation for five more Waterholes in Merrueshi Group Ranch. We are hoping for a successful rainy season in March and April. We'll keep you informed when the rains return. Click to read more about this project.

Merrueshi Primary School is shining!

The school has, once again, retained position 3 out of 50 public schools in Kajiado District. The students did well in English and Mathematics subjects.


2007 Projects

Merrueshi Village Clinic Phase I

The construction of Merrueshi Village Clinic Click to see pictures of the project

Waterholes Restoration Project Click to read more about this project.

Merrueshi Primary School is shining! Click to see pictures from the colorful ceremony.

Dormitory and Dinning Hall Project Click to see pictures from that project.

Got Milk!

Restoring Hope through the Gift of Cows

Maasai Association purchased and distributed over 50 cows and 40 goats for needy families in the Maasai region Click to read more about this story.

Maasai High School Project– Click to read more about this inspiring story.

Merrueshi Fresh Water Project – Click to read more about this story.

Merrueshi Boarding Facilities – Click to read more about this story.

Another latest Maasai story in the news

Maasai warriors to teach zoo visitors about life in Africa
Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Click to read this story


2006 Projects

How Seattle students spend their summer “vacation”

While their friends are making plans for summer internships and beach vacations, Students from the Seattle area will be traveling to Africa this summer to build a highly needed schoolroom for Maasai children in Kenya. The group of boys and girls will be living like the Maasai in a remote community with no running water or electricity, and where lions, giraffes, and elephants roam freely without property limits. Click to find out more about this Journey.


2005 Projects

Worse Drought Hit Maasai Land!

Cattle are dying and the people are faced with severe food shortage..Kids are dropping out of schools while parents are struggling to nurse their young ones at home. Click to read this story


2004 Projects

Maasai Association's newsletter is now available. Acrobat Reader is required when viewing the newsletter. Choose one of the following versions. We recommend text only for visitors using dial-up network. Otherwise, click for newsletter with images

The Merrueshi Community Water Project has been completed! 

Clean water changed our life forever. Water is life!î said a Maasai girl. The needs of 700 people, 5,000 livestock (cattle, goats and sheep) and wildlife such as wildebeest, zebra, giraffe, eland, oryx, gazelle, warthog, and baboons, which are in hundreds, in the Merrueshi area, has been met. Studies and teaching have become more attainable in the Merrueshi Primary School, as students and teachers can now collect clean water at the school compound. Thirst has been defeated completely in the whole community. Click for slideshow

Merrueshi Primary School Project has been completed!

The Maasai Association has completed the construction of the Merrueshi Primary School. We added 4 new classrooms, built 6 teachersí houses, a kindergarten classroom, and a school kitchen.The children of the Merrueshi community, and from its vicinity, will now be able to obtain their primary school education without leaving their community to study in the outside world. Newsletter


2000 to 2003 Projects

Education for indigenous people plays a vital role in protecting wildlife and habitat. Merrueshi Primary School in southeastern Kenya serves this role. Click Newsletter from 2003 to see pictures from that project.

Maasai Art by Maasai

Maasai Art show now hosted at the Seattle Art Museum in Washington. The show is the first of its kind collected and presented by the Maasai people.  Click to read about Maasai Art show

Kakuta's Graduation from Warriorhood!

Every Maasai man undergoes various rites of passage that mark his changes of status in society, moving from one level to the next. This year Kakuta graduated from being a warrior and became a junior elder. After 15 years Kakuta can now eat meat prepared by his mother. Kakuta's long ochre-stained-hair was shaved by his mother. A group of warriors from his age group were among the 200 people attended the ceremony. Read more about this fascinating story

Merrueshi Clean Water Project

"An estimated 1.1 billion people, one out of six, live without clean water." UNICEF/WHO, 2004. While "3900 children in developing countries die every day from water borne disease." WHO 2004. With Maasai Association effort Merrueshi Village has clean water. to learn more about this project

 

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