Let's Turn the Water On for Olmoti!

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Olmoti is just beginning to recover after a 3-year drought. Through the Global Linkages Water Project, we're bringing a sustainable water supply - a deep borehole well - to their community.

See below for additional ways to give.

Project Process

The borehole was drilled in late June. Test pumping followed soon after, determining the water was safe to drink and had good flow. Construction will begin soon. The community has been organized, and over 700 adults are registered for the borehole. The water management committee has been elected and trained. Once the borehole is operational, they will manage day-by-day operations, including monthly water tariff collection. Funds are still needed to finish construction!

Olmoti's Water Problem

After a 3-year drought, rain has finally started falling in Olmoti. But in this region, droughts have become more common. During the past drought, all nearby water points dried up. Every day, women and girls walked up to 8 hours, past treacherous wildlife cooridoors, to fetch the water they needed.

The lack of rain also led to lack of pasture, meaning men who keep livestock traveled hundreds of miles in search of grazing land. Maasai are livestock keepers, but as thousands of their livestock died their income also disappeared.

Drought tears families apart, prevents girls from going to school, destroys income, and eliminates hope.

But, with a reliable water source, everything can change.

Let's Turn the Water on for Olmoti

You can change the story for this community.

We’re raising funds to establish a deep borehole well for the Olmoti community. Olmoti needs a stable source of water--because there will be another drought.

Through our partnership with Water is Life Kenya, we will help over 1,000 people have better health, save their livestock, increase their income, and improve their lives.

Global Linkages, Inc. builds bridges between the United States and Africa through custom tours and cultural experiences. Water is Life Kenya is a 501(c)3 nonprofit with 16 years of bringing clean water and increased incomes to Maasai communities in Kenya.

In Olmoti, women and girls walked up to 8 hours a day to get water during the drought. This project will bring a deep borehole well close to their homes and give women their time back the next time a drought hits.

How to Donate

You make a tax-deductible donation to the Global Linkages Water Project in the following ways:

• Click "Donate" on this web page.
• Donate via PayPal by clicking here.
  • If using PayPal, please allow us to see your name and email so we can acknowledge you.
• Send an ACH wire transfer (contact us).
• Ask your employer about corporate matching.
• Send us a check at this mailing address:
  
  Water is Life Kenya
  314 E Main St.
  Kelway Plaza, Suite 2
  Newark, DE 19711

Background

In 2022, Global Linkages organized two tours to Kenya. During an East African Tour, a partnership was established with members of Olmoti, a Maasai community near Amboseli National Park in Kenya.

This community has many needs, and after seeing their situation travelers decided to help them. The initial request was to provide school supplies and sneakers for children, and over 160 pairs of shoes were shared.

However, it soon became clear that more help was needed. As travelers rode through the towns and countryside, they saw dry, red dust everywhere but very little green vegetation.

Maasai tour guides described how the lack of water was killing their cattle and, with them, entire livelihoods. One family whose herd was 60 heads of cattle—assets that essentially act as bank accounts—was reduced to 3 during the drought. Men travel hundreds of miles away to find pasture, which stresses families tremendously.

If a reliable water source was available near Olmoti, life would be a lot easier.

The drought led to a lack of pasture for cattle, resulting in tens of thousands of dead livestock in the region.

Water Can Change Olmoti

The benefits of this deep borehole well will be:

• Clean water for drinking and hygiene
• Improved health of people, especially children
• More robust livestock
• Time for women to care for their families and themselves
• Income to pay for children’s school fees

Wells in this region are incredibly deep and, therefore, elephant-proofed. Because of this extra precaution, the cost of this project is $100,000 USD. To learn more about WILK’s process and see their success stories, visit their website.

By involving the Olmoti community—especially the women—at every step of this process, we’re ensuring this valuable water resource will be used, maintained, and respected for generations to come.

Both Global Linkages and Water is Life Kenya believe in partnering with local communities to help them become self-sufficient. An investment in this community will ensure not only their survival but also their self-reliance.

Water brings hope, prosperity, and life. For these children at Risa Primary School near Amboseli, a borehole changed their futures.

About the Organizations

Global Linkages, Inc.—founded in 1997 and based in the NJ-NYC metropolitan area—is a management consulting firm that specializes in developing partnerships between the United States and the African continent with a particular focus on the African Diaspora.

As part of its services, Global Linkages provides a “boutique travel experience” that connects individuals, educational institutions, governments, businesses, and community development organizations with unique and exciting explorations in Africa. Groups have traveled to Ghana, South Africa, Morocco, Senegal, and, in 2022, Kenya and Tanzania. Visit https://global-linkages-africa.com to learn more about their tours.

Water is Life Kenya is a nonprofit based in Newark, DE, and operating in southern Kenya. For 17 years, WILK has empowered Maasai communities, especially women, by providing clean water, income generation skills, and hope. WILK's WASH project success rate, with many projects running for over 10 years, is 85% compared to the global average of about 35% after two years. Learn more about their mission at https://waterislifekenya.org.

Watch this video to learn about this project from Global Linkages owner, Lorna K. Johnson.