Help the Amboseli Maasai Through the Drought

Hi, I’m Kathleen McMinn, and this fundraiser is for a Maasai community that lives near Amboseli National Park. The community is called Namelok.

You may have seen in the national news that the Amboseli area has been experiencing the worst drought in 40 years. It's had a terrible impact on the wildlife and the Maasai communities that call the area home. Why Namelok? A friend of mine lives there. He contacted me when he was home recently and shared what was happening to his family and friends. After texting (a lot) and a few WhatsApp calls, we decided to set up this GoFundMe for his community.

It's his voice you can hear in the video.

BTW- I’ve included other photos that he sent below. Please be aware that they show dead cattle, so don’t look if that offends you. They do show the impact of the drought.

How is the drought affecting the families?

• The livestock (cattle and goats) the Maasai rely on for food and money are dying from starvation and thirst.

• The price for livestock is crashing since everyone is trying to sell their cattle and goats before the livestock dies. A cow that sold previously for $300 now sells for $50.

• No livestock => no money => no food.

• It’s also affecting the children's education. Parents are taking their children out of school because they can’t afford even the basic fees charged by the schools.

Several organizations, including the UN, are looking at aid for the area - but people need help now. The grasslands they use to graze their animals are spent. Water needs to be trucked in.

All the money from this fundraiser (other than the 2.9% + $0.30 /transaction fee for GoFundMe’s cut) will go to local families. I’m working with my friend, Nickson Oltii, and he is working with the local area chief, Kenneth Lekatoo Ntukai. Mr. Ntukai’s role is to work with the local village elders to distribute the money to the families that need it the most.

How can you help?

• $10 buys 2 small bales of hay that will feed a cow for 4 days.

• $50 buys 5,000 liters of water. That’s enough water for 10 days for 20 cows.

• $75 will feed 1 cow for a month.

• $100 buys 10,000 liters of water. That’s enough water for 20 days for 20 cows.

• $150 will feed and water 2 cows for almost a month.

• $1000 will buy 200 bales of hay that will feed 1 cow for just over a month.

• $1500 will feed and water 20 cows for almost a month

I hope you’ll contribute to this fundraiser. If not, I hope you’ll seek out other organizations working in the area for either family or wildlife relief.

Asante Sana! Thank you!