WildiZe™
projects
WildiZe™ currently
endorses 11 different ethnic tribal groups registered with their
governments, for whom we direct donor support and sponsorship towards.
These groups were created by and within the communities as a forum
to construct solutions to ever growing problems due to environmental
changes and advancement of western culture into traditional lives.
With the advent of the cash based and wage labor economies (western
concepts) and the transitions to modern technologies They are seeking
sustainable ways of maintaining culturally dynamic lifestyles while
learning to effect and incorporate change, and the abilities and
knowledge to benefit, yet protect and conserve their vital wildlife
and environmental resources.
WildiZe™
advocates their formalized goals and objectives in maintaining a
healthy environment, cultural diversity,and incorporating better
health care, education, and empowerment. Please consider supporting
or sponsoring one of the following groups. CONTACT
WildiZe for more information.
•••
We would
like to introduce you to the Northern Frontier District (NFD) of
Kenya- it has it's own border crossing, complete with signs. When
you pass through you get the sudden feeling that you have entered
another country. There are few roads which would be better defined
as tracks. There is little or no electricity, few phones and very
little radio contact until you get a communal trade area. Picture
it, you are in golden desert with black lava flow, and. You see
camels, scrub brush, very little wildlife and alot of Hot Hot Hot
sand, wind and dust. The NFD gets very little rain and often suffers
drought.
We take you to Loiyangalani,(
Samburu for 'place of many trees'), an oasis at the southeastern
tip of Lake Turkana (also known as Lake Rudolph). Lake Turkana spreads
from the upper end of the Great Rift Valley up through the middle
of Turkanaland (an area about three times the size of Utah!) into
Ethiopia. The landscape is harsh, arid and inhabited by hearty wildlife
(granted.. not alot!) and even hardier souls of several different
ethnic groups.
We've included some
photos to give you an idea of the areas, landscape and people. Please,
these photos are the property and copyright of WildiZe™. If
you are looking for photos of these areas and peoples, please contact
us, we would be glad to help you out.
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- ElMosaretu Women's
Group - Loiyangalani,
NFD, Kenya. Loiyangalani --Samburu for 'place of many trees"--
is an oasis situated at the southeastern shore of Lake Turkana.
ElMosaretu is named for the mix of dynamic and traditional ElMolo,
Samburu, Rendille and Turkana women that formed the group in 1987.
A major issue along with economic viability is finding ways to
pay the school fees for the children. Toward this end ElMosaretu
has a curio shop and have built rental lodging quarters for tourists
in the traditional hut style, along with showers and a loo- not
easy to come by around here!
- Kifaru Women's Group -
Loiyangalani, NFD, Kenya. Kifaru, the Swahili word for Rhino,
formed in 1995, and is comprised of mostly younger tribal women
addressing current issues of health, education, economics and
resource sustainability The Coiffeur have implemented an outdoor
'general store' of sorts, for members and villagers to purchase
small goods- such as spices, and beads. They also sell tribal
artifacts as curios for the tourist trade.
-
ElMolo Gurapau Community
Group - The ElMolo are one of the smallest
tribes left in Kenya, their numbers around 200 max. Their main
resource is the lake. Think about this for a minute.... They
do not have fresh clean drinking water. The two villages use
the lake as their water source, as well other villages,
sport fishermen in motorboats and,
all the nearby livestock and wildlife.
The biggest problem the ElMolo face-is cholera outbreaks from
drinking the polluted water, shrinking
an already threatened population. Think about this the next
time you let the water run while doing your dishes or brushing
your teeth!
- Loiyangalani Health Clinic
- Loiyangalani, NFD, Kenya. Loiyangalani
has the only health clinic available for miles around! The closest
hospital is in Marsabit, almost a days drive north, or in Nairobi,
one-two days drive south. The Clinic is staffed by one resident
health aide, and one trained nurse. Doctors will make rounds through
the rural communities about once a month to treat common illnesses.
The Clinic is able to supply basic medical care, health education
and AIDs awareness literature.
- Loiyangalani Primary School
-Loiyangalani, NFD, Kenya. The school holds classes for all the
tribal children in the vicinities. They will walk from a mile
to 5 miles a day to attend, and still accomplish the chores that
are required by their families and villages. They learn the skills
needed to survive in their changing world. A
donation of $25 dollars will assure a child's primary school education
for a year! Think about that the next time you go out for a movie
for 2 with popcorn!
- Jade Sea Men's group -
The young men of the community have organized
to find solutions to economic stress in an area that is not typically
on the tourist route. The majority are local fishermen trying
to find ways to increase their economic base and provide funds
for family and education. They are also excellent tourist guides
for hire - to see the area or fish for Nile Perch and Tiger fish
in the lake!Beware! there are hippos and crocodiles .. and tiger
fish live up to their name
Now we're going northeast into the Chalbi Desert,
still in the NFD, to the Gabra community of Kalacha Dida- "the
open place". Kalacha Dida too, is an oasis where nomadic Gabra
camel herders water their stock- the muted clinking of the camel
and cattle bells (made of dried and carved calabash) creates a subtle
music in the air. Near the oasis is the small settlement village
of close to 200 Gabra, who, because they do not have herds, are
in some ways considered 'less fortunate' than their nomadic relatives.
Like many pastoral tribes, herds are a sign of wealth and status.
The Gabra women of Kalacha have formed two women's groups, with
co-mingled members and similar objectives, but with separate officers.
As with the other group projects we advocate, the Gabra are finding
ways to increase their economic base while striving to maintain
their culturally rich traditional lifestyle.
- Kalacha Women's Self-Help
Group This group of Gabra women was formed
in 1997 with the objectives of (in their own words..)" to
uplift the standard of living, educate the community about the
best methods of self dependency, [to] contribute and create sponsors
for childrens school fees, and to the buying and selling of goats
for profit". These women have earned our respect with their
determination to maintain their culture while improving their
lives.
- Kalacha Women's Group This
groups motto is " our unity and togetherness will greatly
improve and enhance our [ability of] cooperation to achieve our
goals on a large scale". These goals are: sponsorship for
school fees, construction to improve upon their 'chamber'(gardens),
and shelter for mined salt so
it doesn't melt in the rainy season
(hard work and a long camel trek to the Huri Hills further northeast).
- Kalacha Primary School
The school here is for the entire community, including the nomadic
children, when they have funds. It is a well built school in comparison
with many we have seen, in that it has more than one classroom
able to separate out ages groups more appropriately. They have
a library space that is sorely in need of books! The Headmaster
is a brilliant young man who has applied to, and received a Grant
from WildiZe, to further his University education in Child Development.
The primary school students and the older students are all in
need of funds to further their education so that they may in turn
help their community.
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