Better Together: Our New Partners

Welcome back to WILK Wednesday, where we connect our donors and friends to the ground in Kenya. This week we have some exciting news to share, an analysis of borehole costs, and updates from the field.

Here’s to you for making magic happen for our Maasai friends in Kenya.

Partnering with Global Linkages, Inc.

Our Water is Life Kenya team is excited to announce a groundbreaking new partnership with Global Linkages, Inc.! This remarkable group will be fundraising to bring a deep borehole well to the Olmoti community, near Amboseli National Park.

Global Linkages is a management consulting firm that specializes in developing partnerships between the US and the African continent with a particular focus on the African Diaspora. They provide immersive experiences that go beyond tourism by building deep relationships with the communities they visit, like Olmoti, which has been devastated by the drought and is in desperate need of reliable, clean water.

Global Linkages chose us as implementing partners for this project. Their network of travelers and donors will seek to raise $100,000 while we do the groundwork to establish a sustainable, fresh water source for the Olmoti community.

To learn more about our partnership and goals for the project, check out our most recent blog.

“I thought a borehole was only $10,000”

As we write this, we’re preparing to start drilling at our next borehole site—Lositeti. Last summer, we raised funds for this project in partnership with Rotary District 7630, the Raskob Foundation, the Virginia Wellington Cabot Foundation, and hundreds of donors.

Drilling a borehole that will help a community long-term is not a simple process, though. From the initial assessment to the opening ceremony, it takes about a year to complete a project. Even more, the global success rate of water wells is 30-50% after two to five years.

Our projects are far more sustainable, with a success rate of about 85% and some wells running for over 15 years. We get asked a lot what sets us apart as a water charity, so now we’re happy to share our water process with you.

Learn more about our process and why our boreholes cost between $80,000 to $100,000 by clicking here.

Livestock as a Business Update

As we mentioned last edition, it’s been raining in Kenya. We’ve been traveling around to our active Livestock as a Business (LAB) groups, monitoring their herds, and instructing them about taking advantage of the abundant pasture.

We visited the Loonkishui, Nasinya, Esiteti, Ilumpwa, Inkaisotuak, Lelem, and Naramatisho groups. Here are some photos of their healthy cows and happy smiles!

The next time you hear from us, it will hopefully be with a great surge of water as we begin drilling in Lositeti. To follow along in real time, follow us on Facebook by searching “Water is Life Kenya.”

Wishing you a wonderful February,

The WILK Team

P.S. Building strong partnerships is critical as we continue our work in Kenya. If you, your church, club, or group is interested in partnering with us in any way, don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected]. We would love to hear from you!