These two beautiful girls, Lene Maria and Maria Annette sadly are not with us any more… but in their memory so many people in Samburu land have a smile!! so we thank the two families the Bergums and Ofstads for every thing they have done..
Gentle, kind, fun loving Lene Maria Bergum, was shot on Utoyia Island 5 years ago and her family the Bergums have given so many people a better life in memory of her..
Maria Annette Offstad died of a degrading disease
Lene Maria was so kind to Maria Annette in her long suffering years, so her mother decided that she must be remembered in the same way.. Out there in Samburu land, where she stands proud in the little centre called Lekeri..
Opening of the Masikita Simiti water project.. Grevy Zebra country..
The Lbarta plains were once this beautiful zebra’s main home, and we hope it will be again!!
We had the pleasure of a wonderfull group of Norwegian’s who came to open the project.. Many from the Bergum family, friends and Kim a trustee of ‘LM for clean water’ who runs the local Namsos newspaper.. Masikita Simiti is a small centre, named because many years somebody tried to help them with water by putting in a cement sand dam.. The first Lene Maria project 3 years ago was in Masikita a few miles further south and we visited the project on our way.. The centre was a hive of activity with hundreds of nomads with their cattle all enjoying the fruits of Lene Maria for clean water!! This area was a fitting choice for lene Maria projects as many of the people have lost members of their family on these lush plains to tribal fighting and cattle russeling..
Masikita Simiti a small centre in the lbarta plains where the Grevy Zebra live!
The well is under a beautiful acacia Tortilis and the elders await our arrival ready to bless the well..
A lovely traditional blessing of the well..
Our visitors were shaparoned all around Masikita Simiti center by many people from far and wide..
We had the pleasure of many of the Bergums family this year.. Lene Marias grand father turned on the switch!
A beautiful bed of Aloes next to the solar panels
This year the rains have been excelent and there was still plentyof water in the lugga for every one, but its not usually like this here!!
Walking up the Masikita lugga with our entourage, some donkeys drinking water from a usually very deep well!
The Bergums next to the very important Grevy Zebra and livestock trough .. We gave the community two years to make sure all animals wild and tame drink together as this sign post below shows!
grevys and goats drinking together at the same trough ..
this man an ‘ ambassador’ of the Grevy Zebra trust promised he will work hard to make this picture becomes a reality!!
Lene Maria thank you for water..Tove Bergum turns on the water!
the speaches after the opening near Lene Marias well..
A huge gathering of people from far a wide to sing and say thank you..
beautiful singing to our Norwegian visitors
Support from Masikita as well.. Arian and her mother in the crowd..
After a wonderful few hours in Masikita Simiti we had to move on.. We had a two day walk to our next opening in Lekeri!.. so heading east towards the Ndoto mountains through this beautiful pass..
And then it was a two day walk through beautiful country to Lekeri
lekeri is on the Sererit lugga one of the main luggas draining the Ndoto mountains.. again this year there was plenty of water in the area, but this project will be a god send to all when it gets dry..
Maria Annettes well at lekeri being blessed by the elders with milk
a small gathering around Maria Annettes well at Lekeri
The community Thank Lene Maria for clean water and VOSS Foundation, the Ofstad family, Wild Frontiers for putting together the funds for the Milgis to impliment this project in Lekeri.. This project was connected back in 2014, but up untill nobody had managed to come out, so the community were so pleased to finally have an opening !
Maria Annettes mother accompanied by Tove Bergum opens the water for Lekeri
The ladies of Lekeri sing some beautifull songs in praise of all the visitors under the watchful eye of maria Annette
And finally two openings later and a job well done its time to head home!
And finally on our way home from Lekeri.. the Ndoto mountains behind..
With our sweet goat ‘Simiti’ that we were given in Masikita Simiti who had quite a long walk home!
Finally a beautiful sunrise to send our visitors home!
Ashe O Ling Ngai for water and amazing light!!
The Milgis Journal 