Oloonkolin Foundation Kenya's vision is based on two principles, namely that knowledge is the basis of sustainable development and that that development must be driven and brought about by the residents themselves. That is why education and advice is the cornerstone of our project and we work closely with the residents. In this, love and respect for the people of Oloonkolin is essential.
Objective
Oloonkolin Foundation Kenya's objective is to help the residents of Oloonkolin improve their living conditions. The residents drive the project themselves. We focus on removing the causes of poverty. For example, by giving advice on issues such as hygiene, agriculture and trade. In addition, we provide practical support in building sanitation facilities, installing water services, and establishing businesses in the field of agriculture and tourism. All this is contributing to considerable improvements in terms of accommodation, health, education and provision of basic needs.
Oloonkolin, a village with a population of about 7,000 residents, is one of the most impoverished settlements in Trans Mara. Our hope is that the proposed changes in Oloonkolin will spread across the rest of Trans Mara like wildfire. Oloonkolin is situated opposite the Maasai Mara National Reserve, one of the best-known nature reserves in Africa. Around 300,000 tourists, predominantly foreigners, visit the reserve every year. The luxury of this tourist attraction is in stark contrast to the poverty in Oloonkolin.
About 90% of Oloonkolin residents have no access to basic sanitation facilities like a toilet. This causes a host of health problems, from tooth decay to serious illnesses such as cholera, diphtheria and typhoid. Given the lack of healthcare, these diseases often cause death.
Many children are absent from school regularly due to illness. If they attend school at all, because many women and girls are often sent to collect water. That is very time consuming. Due in part to this daily task, women are unable to develop themselves (economically).
Causes of poverty in Oloonkolin
• Health issues caused by a lack of clean drinking water
• Health issues caused by a lack of sanitation facilities
(90% of residents have no access to sanitation facilities like a toilet)
• Health issues caused by a lack of medical facilities
• A lack of education
• A lack of economic development (agriculture, marketing).
The objective of the project
Oloonkolin Foundation Kenya's objective is to help the residents of Oloonkolin improve their living conditions. The residents drive the project themselves. We focus on removing the causes of poverty. For example, by giving advice on issues such as hygiene, agriculture and trade. In addition, we provide practical support in building sanitation facilities, installing water services, and establishing businesses in the field of agriculture and tourism. All this is contributing to considerable improvements in terms of accommodation, health, education and provision of basic needs.
In addition to agriculture, economic development includes commercial exploitation of the tourist industry. Maasai Mara is one of the biggest nature reserves in Africa and commercial exploitation of the park is primarily controlled by non-Kenyan organisations at present.
Project strategy
The idea is for the project to be driven by the residents of Oloonkolin themselves. They can register for participation and thus commit to carrying out specific activities. In the case of a large number of people wishing to participate, there is a selection process to determine who should be considered for support first, for example, families with young children. After all, children are the future of the community. That is why reducing mortality amongst newborns, infants and older children is essential for the future, as is the provision of good education.
Benefits of participation in the project
• Free access to clean drinking water
• Installation of a toilet and sewerage (septic tank) at home
• Instruction on developing a business plan and access to microcredit for starting a business
• That they actively participate in the construction of the water reservoir
• That they attend instruction on hygiene
• That they participate in building toilets and sewers
(public toilets, toilets for fellow village residents, and toilets for families)
• That they attend instruction on starting their own business
• That all children in the family under the age of 16 attend school