ARCHIVES
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.
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.
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.
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
