At It Again

Six months ago, I met with these women and promised them that I would help them. One of the things they asked for was that they and their children would no longer go to bed hungry. How many of you reading this have asked for that?

 These women realize they need to become more self-sufficient, but struggle with how to make that happen. They make amazing jewelry and intricate beaded crafts and know that if they had a better way to sell it, they could make more money.

 Right now, they mostly sell these items by harassing tourists in safari vans as they are entering the game park. The safari camp we have been staying at also offers tourists a tour of their village so that they can experience what it is like to live like the Maasai. After the tour, the women offer their crafts for sale, but it is again under sub-optimal conditions and some what daunting when encountered for the first time.

 The organization we work with in Kenya, Marafiki Community, proposes creating a Community Center for these Maasai, where they can not only sell their crafts, but also run a café for tourists heading out to safari. There would also be an area for vocational training for the women.

 I know I have posted about this before. And you may be sick of hearing it. I hope to make this my last plea, definitely my most blatant plea for money.

 I implore you to do two things for this village:

      1)     Share this with as many people as you can. Either share it on your Facebook page or share it on several other people’s. Post it on your other social media. Email it to your family and friends. Print it out and hand it to people you know. If each person reading this contacts five other people, the number of people reached would grow exponentially.

      2)     Make a donation to Tumaini Volunteers. You can mail your check to Tumaini Volunteers, Inc., PO Box 537, Wausau, WI 54402 or directly to me, if you rather, to Chris Kincaid, W5343 Koth Road, Tomahawk, WI  54487. You can also click on this link to send your donation electronically and securely. If everyone reading this sends just $10, we would be able to make a difference in the lives of these Maasai.  

 Thank you to everyone who has already supported us in this project. I really appreciate every donation we have received. Also thank you to everyone who has bought the Kenyan merchandise we have had for sale. And finally thank you to anyone who has purchased from our Schwan’s Care campaigns. A new one just started this week, so you’ll want to check it out here.

 Thank you for taking the time to read this. I look forward to seeing this message spread like wildfire. Or at least grow larger than our bonfire at the safari camp last spring.