Audax® Provides School Uniforms for Maasi, Amboseli Children
Earlier this month, Audax® was proud to share its recent support of the wonderful work of Little Dresses for Africa (LDFA) Belgium with a new delivery of handmade, upcycled material, dresses and shorts to Baraka Children’s Home in Kenya (click here to read the story).
On this same visit to the continent, we were also busy with our own project in Oltiyani village, in the Amboseli National Park in Kenya. Amboseli National Park, covers some 392 Sq. Km and with the Backdrop of Mt. Kilimanjaro (the highest free-standing mountain in the world). The area is famous for its Elephant herds and in 1991 was declared a UNESCO heritage site. Living in and around the Kenyan parks are the pastoral Maasi communities. Sharing, living and co-existing alongside the wildlife, these nomadic cattle herders travel with the seasons, following the grazing / water. With no real ’fixed abode’ whole villages of even 30 to 50 traditional houses made from mud and cow dung, simply ’up sticks’ and move from one season to the next. In the Kenyan heat, finding water whilst protecting and caring for their livestock are daily challenges that take up all hours of the day.
Understandably, formal schooling and education aren’t high on the list of priorities for some, and the constant nomadic life isn’t exactly conducive to the school calendar as we know it.
Breaking the mould is Oltiyani village. With the guidance, permission and support of Patrick Tipape, this village is building their first permanent structure – a school. They want to protect their Heritage, traditions and way of life, but the people of Oltiyani Village also want to provide their children with the opportunity to enjoy an education that will open up more potential opportunities for their futures.
Adam Liardet, Managing Director of Audax said, “Having visited, it is evident they are succeeding, with a good range of subjects being taught and seemingly good understanding and learning being achieved. However, they can only go so far without ’external’ help.”
“Senior school is a good walk of some 15 Km, each way, every day. This school is provided by the Government and is the stepping stone to the ‘Modern World’. To put it into context, the School’s catchment area is the size of an English County. However without a school uniform they can’t attend. After so many struggles to make it this far, what we may consider to be a tiny barrier might as well be as high as Mt Kilimanjaro for them. The solution to me was simple – Audax® provided a significant number of children with their first school uniform. It is close to ‘Rifle Green’!”
The Maasi Amboseli village children in Kenya are reliant on the good hearts of supporters and sponsors, such as Audax. Through this donation, we have been able to provide these children the opportunity to go to State School and further themselves and their families. Without support like this, they would so often go without. If you too would like to donate, please contact Adam Liardet Managing Director of Audax, who can put you in direct communication with the Village.
