SPRING-SUMMER NEWSLETTER - 2011

WATER IS LIFE - KENYA

Imagine Walking Hours Just For Water For Your Children

WATER PROJECTS

Archers Post, Olepolos, and Kajiado Wells - Water Partnerships Around the World
WILK has been asked to manage a water project at Archers Post on behalf of Umoja Waso Foundation. Umoja Womens Village, located at Archers Post, was formed by women escaping abusive husbands. Wendy Ellsworth and Jane Wilner established Umoja Waso Foundation to help the Village. This is a very dry area so water is a top priority. The main source of water, the Ewaso Nyiro River, is quite polluted and the ow is reduced due to upstream farms. When low, the water stagnates and transmits typhoid, amoebic dysentery and cholera. Facing long walks and the threat of crocodiles and other wildlife, many use the river on a daily basis. A water committee has been formed with representatives of 10 villages, including Umoja Womens Village. Joyce met with the committee to assess conditions and possible solutions. A piped water system in the town provides service to those who can afford the to pay. Due to the hydrogeological conditions, drilling for new sources may not be advisable. Our role may be to guide the existing pipeline water management association. Getting a clear picture of a communitys need takes a lot of time. One challenge is getting an idea of population. How many people are there? Ai! Kumok oleng! [Oh! many,] Ok. Like how many? Maybe 400. So 400 people? No, 400 voters. [1] People remember the number of registered voters. Those are adults. So you estimate 300 households with average household size 8 persons (conservative). Thats 2400 people. But often little support is provided to develop the skills necessary for effective management. Experts from the Ministry who might be able to help them improve their technical and management skills will assist only when given allowances and transportation. This expense results in communities not getting the help they need. Olepolos Community Borehole(Well) Olepolos is a community of 2000 people in the Mt. Kilimanajaro highlands. Community members literally chased us for years to different locations where we were doing water projects to convince us that we should help them next.

The Joy of Clean Water!

WATER PROJECTS
Olepolos Community Borehole contd Through the unrelenting efforts of Mike Shearon from Colonial Rotary in Dover and regular visits to clubs by WILK representatives to tell the story of Olepolos, we have formed a partnership with WILK and Rotary District 7360 (which includes the Colonial Rotary Club) to drill a deep well for Olepolos. This is an achievement worth celebrating! The work on the ground has started. We have had several meetings with the community, They are in the process of collecting their contribution from their members. They have already registered and obtained an operating certicate and bank account. After conducting a geophysical survey to determine the drilling site, we are waiting for the drilling permit. We expect to drill the borehole before the end of the summer. This is a great example of a locally driven project that WILK is uniquely equipped to do. More news later!

Pastors Talk at Noosidan Well Celebration

Our brothers and sisters who have donated this water: You have donated life to this community. I know therell be life here. People here will enjoy. Birds of the air will enjoy. Theyll be singing of the birds of the air. Theyll be drinking that water. Donkeys around are celebrating. Even our goats will be there. So water is life. And you have given life to this community. Im not in their minds, but someone who was going to migrate because of no water, now hes making a boma (village) here because he has water. Thats why you dont see more people here because of no water. Next time therell be many people because water is life.

Kajiado Shallow Well, Partnership with Swedish Rotary Clubs and Rotary Club of Muthaiga

Water Is Life - Kenya Gains Kenyan Government Approval

Two years ago WILK received legal authority to operate as a Delaware non-prot Corporation with federal 501 (c)3 tax exempt status. Gaining similar approvals inside Kenya emerged as an equally important goal. WILK hired Dr. Albert Mumma, law faculty member at the University of Nairobi. He and his staff completed the documents that allowed WILK to become a registered Kenyan NGO. Our legal name in Kenya is Water Alive Kenya (WAKE). In our newsletter we will continue to refer to our organization as WILK. Kenyan registration allowed Joyce, personally, to obtain full Work Permit status. As an NGO WILK does not have to pay VAT (value added tax) for supplies and materials and operate a Kenyan bank account. Moreover, some global agencies who might contract, fund or work with WILK, will only do so if we are registered with Kenyan employees. Kenyan NGO status also allows us to partner with local community organizations and write joint proposals to fund projects. Community development funds from donor organizations [UNICEF, USAID, etc.] now favor smaller organizations present in the community and registered within the country. WILK has always operated on a ground-up development basis. Gaining legal status in Kenya was an important organizational step for maximizing funding and partnering opportunities.

Roland Axelzon, representative from the Swedish Donor Rotary Clubs, came to Kenya in March. He visited the 3 shallow well projects they funded and attended an opening ceremony for one, the Esokota well. Since the wells have opened, thousands of people and their animals have been using the water. In Enkorbobit, new villages have This is an excerpt from a song sprung up with people moving to be written by a villager in Olepolos in close to the new water source. celebration of WILKs assistance. It Villagers are sharing the bounty! I visited Noosidan recently while in simply but powerfully exhibits their the area. People look clean and recognition that Water is Life. energetic now and their livestock So many years they had a lot of problems with Water. But now they have a chance to stay healthy and strong. have got (water). You brought It is especially rewarding when they peace and happiness. God saved call me Our Joyce. It means the us through Joyce and Larasha and trust has been built and weve done Water is Life Kenya. We urge God something great there together. They to sustain their lives and give them recognize WILK is an important strength. partner in the growth of their community. (Chorus) Water, water...happiness, happiness; water is life. Water, water...happiness, happiness; water is life

When I was thirsty you gave Me to drink

Matthew 25:35

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Helping Teach Livestock Skills

Through education, WILK helps Maasai to help themselves

Livestock as a Business - Pathway to Progress

Sustainable safe water supply is our goal. One of WILKs challenges is the Maasai lack money to pay the operation and maintenance costs of water projects. Continuing to dig more and more wells without increasing villagers capacity to maintain them doesnt really make sense. Since cattle are the major source of Maasai wealth and income, WILK has recognized this need to address livestock keeping practices. In fact, more water supply projects without better livestock keeping practices can also add to the general overuse of resources. Addressing and encouraging better practices can also mean fewer, better animals, which reduces stress on resources. WILK is entering into these new ventures slowly and carefully to insure efcient use of our funding. The Agro-Vet Shop would be a center providing reliable help on diseases and best medicines/practices for healthy livestock. Cattle, sheep, goats, donkeys and a few camels are now raised in the region. The shop could also become a clearinghouse on forage conditions, market prices and weather trends in the Region.

In late 2010 WILK designed, organized, nanced and conducted ve workshops to stimulate improved livestock keeping practices. Hundreds of men and women walked long distances to attend. Seven working teams formed and have been meeting on their own and with the rest of the groups. Each has set up bank accounts and has become certied. Some have already invested their annual contributions in good breeds of livestock to sell and upgrade their own stock. While each group has dened action targets for their individual area, two region-wide objectives have emerged. Each would require WILK leadership and shared funding to get them off the ground. One is an Agro-Vet Shop; the second is a Revolving Loan Facility. Both are aimed to empower the Maasai and build sustained animal income ...

Lack of capital to replace animals killed in the recent drought is another major obstacle. The Revolving Loan Facility will be initiated as a pilot project with a small pool of money to minimize risk and administrative time for WILK. We will invite Helping applications for funds based upon a detailed business plan that states how the money will be used to reach specic Others Help goals. Records of actual spending and ultimate animal sales Themselves will be monitored. One aim is to stimulate good business practices including timely sale of the commodity in good market conditions. A second aim is to encourage sustainability as a community goal alongside of respect for traditions. Under a WILK contract Professor Mumma of the University of Nairobi Law School wrote a legal template that denes the steps and legal responsibilities of the borrowers and of WILK in the revolving loan process. WILK is exploring private and public donors who might contribute to the start-up fund.

WE NEED YOUR HELP PLEASE

and therefore community funding for water project maintenance.

YOUR CONTACTS
CAN YOU INVITE US TO SPEAK AT YOUR CHURCH,GROUP OR ORGANIZATION?

YOUR SKILLS
CAN YOU CONSIDER VOLUNTEERING? MARKETING, PR, GRANT WRITERS NEEDED, PLEASE.

FUNDRAISING
CAN YOU PROVIDE IMAGINATIVE IDEAS OR BROADEN OUR FUNDRAISING CONTACTS?

IDEAS
THE NEED IS GREAT. THERE IS NO LIMIT TO WHAT YOU MIGHT DO TO HELP US HELP OTHERS.

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CELEBRATING OUTSTANDING GENEROSITY...

Water Is Life - Kenya (WILK) cannot help others without the generosity of you all. There have been so many that have cared for us and Joyce just wanted to send a thank you from here in Kenya! Here are just a few of the many acts of kindness: Raising Awareness Through Internet Media - nets $10,000 Donation In honor of World Water Day March 22, music and culture critic and womens activist, Kristin York Wooten highlighted WILK mission in Hufngton Post, an American news website. She honored Joyce for making a difference, one well at a time. A WILK friend saw the article and passed it on to Revenew International LLC and Valero Energy Corporation. These corporations support many efforts like Water is Life Kenya and they committed to donate $10,000 to support our work. Raising Awareness Through Academic Presentation Communications Professor, Sheila Clough Crifasi gave a presentation at the Middle Tennessee State University Gender and Women Studies Conference in March. Raising Awareness Through Technical Exchange of Ideas WILK Board Member and Professional Engineer, Tad Yancheski gave a presentation at the 2011 National Ground Water Association Ground Water Summit in Baltimore, emphasizing how WILK is using technical expertise to minimize risk and maximize success in water supply projects in rural Kenya. Holy Angels Lenten Fundraiser Holy Angels School, The Alma Mater of Tannians and other WILK Board Members, took hold of the plight of people who have no water and organized weekly collections and meditations on helping our less fortunate neighbors. St. Patricks Crazy Crunch Sale Organized by philanthropic, business minded second graders and their teachers at St. Patricks Elementary School in Charlotte, NC, the kids raised $509. St. Marks Key Club Talent Show Organized by a powerful team who knocked it out of the ball park and raised $5000!

So many of you have reached out to us. Thank you!

Chantlanta - Monica Tannian presented WILKs mission to Chantlanta. They made us and one other non-prot the beneciaries of fundraising at their inspiring weekend.

Water usage per person in the U. S. is around 400-500 liters per day. 50 liters is the minimum needed according to international standards, yet thousands of communities in Kenya have access to only 10-20 liters (and that is often not clean) per person.

THANK YOU EVERYONE

Holy Angels students dressed in Maasai robes carry 6 gallons of water (48lbs.) racing to help kids
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RAISING INCOMES THROUGH BEADS AND BEAUTIFUL JEWELRY

Raising incomes through the work of Kenyan women, both for their families and to support WILK water projects, has been underway through Beaded Handcraft sales. In March newly designed products were shipped through to the U.S. for sale. A start-up order of snap bracelets was delivered to South Moon Under, who will offer the handcrafts through their stores, check them out at : www.southmoonunder.com Sales continued at Grassroots, a Delaware boutique, please stop by their Main Street, Newark store or see: www.grassrootshandcrafts.com And the wonderful folks at Dansko continue to support WILK through sales at their store in Jennersville, PA: www.danskooutlet.com In Atlanta beaded goods were put on sale at a large event called Chantlanta. Along with income from purchases, a handsome display with

colorful, one-of-kind Kenyan beaded items drew many people to inquire about what WILK is doing and how they might help. Plans are also underway to develop sales kits with an array of beaded products. The next step will be to select Sales Rep Teams to call on Retail Locations throughout the USA and place product nationally opening up retail locations for the beautiful jewelry hand made by Kenyans. They will earn commission when they place our items in various retail outlets. Interested in providing us with contacts to sales outlets (meetings, churches, clubs) you believe might help market the beaded jewelry, key chains and animals? Please contact us. (302) 731-5850
WWW.KENYAWATERISLIFE.COM

FACES...

CHILDREN OF THE MAASAI

WATER, FOOD, EDUCATION, HYGIENE CONTINUE TO BE THE DAILY CHALLENGE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN SOUTHERN KENYA. WATER IS LIFE - KENYA HAS MADE MAJOR INROADS BECAUSE OF YOUR SUPPORT. WE THANK YOU AND WE LOOK TO YOU FOR YOUR KIND AND GENEROUS SUPPORT IN FUNDS, IN PRAYER AND IN CARE

Samburu women creating beautiful beaded jewelry

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UPCOMING EVENTS:
MUSIC,WATER AND LIFE 3rd Annual Fundraising Event Celebrate Life with Music, Dance, Spoken Word Thursday, September 15, 2011 at 7 pm

Could We Please Ask For Your Financial Support?

From where you are reading this you can reach out and touch the world and positively impact and change lives of others who suffer from where they were born. Right where you are sitting you can impact lives now and for generations. How many opportunities in life do you get where you are able to truly impact the lives of others? Your support brings water, hygiene, disease relief, education and hope.
Please Support Us If You Can:

Would You Consider Sponsoring A Family?

Would you please consider helping today?

Gustavus Adolphus Church

155 E. 22nd St. (between Lexington and 3rd Ave.) New York City

And if you are already helping, we thank you so much!

DONATE HERE: www.kenyawaterislife.com/donate.html

Our dedication to you is to be effective, efcient stewards of your aid - Thank you!
. www.kenyawaterislife.com

(www.gachurchnyc.org)

910 Baylor Drive Newark, Delaware 19711 - USA (302)731-5850

Water Is Life - Kenya (WILK) is a Delaware Based 501 (c) (3) Charity

Please Send Us Comments and Suggestions:

Web.Wilk@kenyawaterislife.com

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