ABOUT
Pillar for Maasai Development-PMD, is a Community-Based Organization (CBO No. KJD/CDO2/08652) registered under the Social Services department in Loitokitok District. We work amongst rural Maasai of Rombo Division in areas of; education and health, cultural preservation and economic empowerment.
Since its inception in 2006, PMD has successfully initiated two community-based schools in efforts to create a network of accessible, affordable and quality education in our villages. PMD also initiated a women jewelry project that is enabling families have an alternative dependable source of income. The program has also ensured sustainability of the education program (Maasai Boma Schools). Through local partnership with community members as well as the government, PMD has successfully managed to put in place a traditional Maasai artifacts collection museum located in Rombo center.A. Education programMAASAI BOMA SCHOOLS: Maasai Boma Schools, abbreviated as MBS, is a community-based project under Pillar for Maasai Development. MBS aims and creating Maasai community based schools around the Maasai neighbourhoods in Rombo division of Loitokitok district.
We have now 142 children (girls and boys) in our two schools in Lemong’o and Esukuta villages. MBS aims at working with the local population to build schools that are culturally Maasai, accessible, affordable, outstanding education and flexible. Corporation with parents is highly emphasized and that for MBS is the most important aspect of alleviating poverty and fighting illiteracy. This will then ensure sustainability of the schools and also ownership of the schools by the community.
The long term dream of Boma Schools is to create a network of schools in neighboring Maasai communities with no access to education.
Our main challenge is getting funds to buy books, partially pay teachers, build schools-rooms and also feeding to increase the retention rates of children in schools. Among the very poor families-to provide uniforms for the children.Schools costs for 2012 (12 months) Books for one child Ksh 1800 or US $ 24
Feeding for one child Ksh 5400 or US $ 72 (9moths)
Buildings two schoolrooms Ksh. 1.9million or US $ 23,800B. Cultural Maasai preservation
The MaasaiThe Maasai is one of the nilotic tribes inhabiting southern parts of Kenya and northern parts of Tanzania. They are pastoralists who practice nomadic way of life; they have unique governance with age groups and transition initiation ceremonies.
The Maasai clans are ilkisonko, irkaputiei, irkangere, irmatapato, ildamat,iloodokilani, ilkeekonyokie, irpurko, isiria, irwuasin-nkishu, irmoitanik,ilchamus, . PMD works among the ilkisonko Maasai of Loitokitok on the eastern side of mount Kilimanjaro
Due to greater access to mass-produced household items and clothes, and with gradual end of their nomadic lifestyle many of the Maasai traditional items are gradually becoming extinct. For purposes of education and cultural preservation PMD is working with the community to acquire many of these items before being extinct. This purposed to pass through to the children their rich heritage. Maasai elders would often visit the school and share history of these items among other traditional stories.
Dances, Songs and Schools weekly cultural lessons: the third year now, Maasai Boma Schools through the support of ADEA has successfully held Maasai Cultural Festivals in the months of February, October and January. January 02, 2010 was the latest held in Lemong’o Boma School. More than 300 people attended.Cultural exchange programThe Maasai community is still very rich in culture and is to share and learn what the rest of the world have. Maasai cultural educators will be available to travel different parts of the world to educate people on our rich Maasai culture. C. Economic empowermentTo ensure sustainability of projects and more so the education project, PMD with other partner organization such as ADEA, has initiated projects for alternative income. These include the jewelry project with over 60 Maasai women in two villages where our schools are currently located. In a long-term goal, we are planning to include more four villages around Rombo Division.
Canal lining to enhance food security, leatherwork and horn work with the youth in jobless corners in the market centers of Rombo Division. D. Environmental conservationPlanting of trees
Gabions
Fencing of the water catchments areas
Educational forum on conservation
E. Health program
We may not be a fully flagged health organization, never the less our contribution towards 'health for all', in our Maasai community is still substantial. Guided in the philosophy “healthy community is a wealthy community” we engage, through the PMD's health department, in provision of both preventive and curative care, the later being on facilitative basis.
Preventive care:
PMD through its health department engages in provision primary health care to its members whom majority constitutes the Maasai community this we Attained through provision of primary health care, we engage, through aid of professionals, in health educations on proper hygiene and good maternal practices, nutritional health through school feeding programs, de-worming campaigns and trainings on proper diets. Malaria controls through distribution of Mosquito nets done in conjunction with other organizations such as Amref. We also organized clean-up campaigns in our town aimed at educating the public on hygienic leaving.
Curative Medicine: with health costs rapidly escalating, our health department embarks on contributive measures, which involves organization of periodic medical camps. We also out-source medical professionals who are not locally available and who may offer to volunteer for a period of time convenient to them. These may include doctors, physiotherapists, sonographers amongst others. They utilize equipments available at Rombo health Centre whom we partner in health service delivery.
We also link referred patient to large institutions located in major towns providing relevant information on where required quality services cheaply provided besides informing them of centers/ organizations where such services may be offered free of service.
Special projects: schools building construction, women jewelry projects
Achievements: Esukuta and Lemong’o Boma School with more than 140 children in preschool and primary school, traditional artifacts museum, women jewelry project group, Enduet springs conservation program and computer training program for teachers.
F: Volunteer programPMD believes in expanded and shared knowledge as a way to improve the living standards of our rural Maasai. In this view therefore, we invite individuals from all parts of the world (local and international) from different professions to volunteer in our various programs. They could either be students, people in their work-brake or retired professionals.
PMD supports community based volunteering initiatives in the in the fields of; education, health, leadership and governance, environment, cultural studies among others.
All persons are encouraged with the University research students being highly encouraged. We believe that through volunteering we will be able to bring enormous resources of knowledge and experience that our children and the entire community genuinely need for now and for the future generations. Accommodations in the Maasai Manyatta (homes)
Most of the volunteering programs run all year round.DonateTo donate to our various programs please write a cheque to or direct transfer to. Quote the program you want to support or contact the chairman/secretary for more information at info@maasaipillars.org or call +254 721 468 497
Bank Details
Account name: Pillar for Maasai Development
Account number: 1103721976
Swift code ID: KCBLKENX
Bank name: Kenya Commercial Bank
Branch: Loitokitok
Country: Kenya
Contact us
Staff
Tipape Loomu-Education promotion programs and secretary-PMD
Tumaina Ole Ipite-Chairperson and Economic program director
Ann Toiran-Treasurer (women projects guide)
Eric Ng’eno- Health education and Youth Programs
Osman Abdilahi-Environment Conservation programs
P.O. Box 142
Loitokitok 00209
Kenya, East Africa
Tel +254 721 468 497 or +254 729 056 493
info@maasaipillars.org
http://www.maasaipillars.org/
GOALReduce poverty levels, illiteracy level; enhance economic and social stability for community development. To have an enlightened and empowered community.
KEY OBJECTIVES1) Promoting education
2) Health education and nutrition.
3) Environmental conservation.
4) Community Resources and livelihood
5) Cultural preservation
STRATEGY TO REALIZE OUR VISION· To be a known, effective and efficient organization in supporting community economic and cultural stability and empowerment.
· Peer learning and exchanges
· Dialogues/local-to-local dialogues
· Capacity building through participation in workshops, seminars and training.
· Teamwork in management MISSIONTo create an avenue of a promising future for the children and making the present dependable for the youth and adultVISSIONHaving a stable community economically, socially and yet traditionalHome Pillar for Maasai Development is a Community Base Organization (CBO) formed with the aim of fostering development in our rural Maasai community. Due to drastic weather pattern changes, the Maasai have lost their dear animals. With no other alternative, Pillar for Maasai Development is trying to look for other avenues of ensuring continuity of life in the community. This is by providing capacity building, support, help, grants in aid and also donation from stakeholders and well-wishers.
One person does not manage PMD; it’s teamwork. PMD is an umbrella for the programs we have with different people heading different programs.
