Where to start… maybe.. news of rain!

All animals people and plants are ‘dancing with joy’ up our way.. The rains finally came!! Its been tough times in Northern Kenya and every one has been holding their breath for some rain.. We have been so occupied with going on safari and enjoying the amazing final lmuget ceremonies for the warriors that not much time to report to you fine lot that things are good up there!

walking with Camels.. As you can see its really dry out there..

travelling through the Keno acacia forest

 

 

the day before the rains came we crossed the pass behind Poi from Siangan into Arsim valley, risking our poor camels climbing the impossible, but for this View it was well worth it!!

 

Then the great ceremonies through out the region to mark the end of this warrior group.. They now can go and get married, and will be handing their duties over to the next lot! This is at Guasi

The incredible ceremony to officially end this warrior set so that they can now get married

But while all this was going on, the people east of the Matthews/Ndoto mountains are desperate..Its dry dusty and nothing left for their animals.. So the start to move in their hundreds and thousands to look for food for their livestock.. an incredible sight!..

Mass movement of livestock from the kaisut up the Milgis to search for something to eat was unbelievable!

They were right, there had been rain somewhere to the west.. But could they get the desert animals to cross the flood.. hours and hours we watched as they tried every way possible to get the animals to cross!.. The goats, camels cows just stood there.. !

these goats just would not cross they’d never seen water like this before!

Cattle on the move.. hundreds and thousands heading to the west

a young lad consoling his calf.. it had lost its mother, and the future also looked bleak for him..

Sad and distressing scenes around every corner

and of course even worse when they just can’t get up.. this magestic dear cow ended her days in the hot sun here

Typical Milgis scene.. wind and dust!

In the mean time the Milgis team are busy busy getting on and helping where we can..  The vet team from David Sheldrick wildlife Trust traveled all the way up to try to help us with this poor Elephant only to find his leg was badly broken.. So we had to put him down.. IT WAS A DISASTEROUSLY SAD DAY FOR ALL OF US>>

We had a very sad story with this lovely Elephant who was limping so badly..

Every one was gutted when they realised the problem..

and we walked past his bones a few months later and heres the proof..

One of our important additions is when it gets too dry for the elephants to get to water, rather than leaving them to destroy the peoples wells .. We get the communities to dig Elephant friendly wells.. its a great success and it really gets the people on board!

 

Digging Elephant safe wells up and down all luggas

 

a nice in and out of the wells for all animals!

 

i watched in the full moon all the elephants lining up to drink!! This was so nice to see they went in drank and moved on with out destroying too much!  All sorts of other animals came in as well.. leopard, Hyena, Civet, genet, mongoose.. 

 

We continue to be very concerned by the erosion happening..

this is near Poi , just starting

the beginnings of erosion.. soon this will be deep channels..

Like this..

and this..

in some places over 50% is now erroded.. We need to find a solution??!!

AND the BURNING…

THIS CRAZY BURNING STILL HAPPENS EVEN THOUGH THEY WATCH DESPERATE ANIMALS WALK PAST AS THEY DO IT>>> WE CONTINUE TO ASK OUR SELVES WHY AND why again..

In August we had the pleasure of traveling to Mpang on the edge of the kaisut desert and Loltepes in the Arsim valley, with our friends from VOSS foundation  to open two of our new water projects..

the Manyattas in Mpang… so dry!

blessing the borehole near Mikenya with the community

Turning on the pump!

Hundreds and hundreds of jerry cans waiting to be filled!

The beautiful ladies of Mpang came to say thank you.. you note this is almost ALL Rendille people!!

my amazing present from the Mpang community! A beautiful goat dressed up as a warrior.. I was so touched..

this young lad can not walk.. the community asked us to help!???

Here he is with his dear mother..

Then on to lotepes in the Arsim valley.. Where we used to have a solar system at Sidai especially for the community to share with the Grevys but sadly the borehole dried up, but thanks to Andre’s amazing skills of finding water we found a much better place to put a borehole so theres plenty for every one now!!

Traditionally one has a blessing around the bore hole..

Always with milk..

 

The unbelievable turn out of so many BEAUTIFUL ladies to recieve their water!!

They were crystal clear in there statement.. THANK YOU!!

Traditional speeches and thank you’s!!

this special lady’s expression says it all along with the beautiful singing .. It was a very special day!.. 

We have been working hard spreading the word about the conservation of all things .. We show films of all sorts to show the communities..

Showing the film on a white cloth tied to the back of the pickup..

Showing films is a great way to get the message across!

Explaining the film afterwards, just to reiterate the message.. Titus and Mary on the case here.. 

Any way possible to get the message across about conservation, family planing or any thing else .. heres Titus having a go!!

In Ngurnit this lovely girl who is now blossoming.. Thanks to all our amazing friends..

this mother came to say thank you for saving her daughter!

Back in Loikumukum..  thanks to Lene Maria and friends we renovated their well and made it flood proof.. Then we removed a pump and solar panels from a borehole in Sidai that was not producing water and we now have a beautiful little water project here!.. this was a THANKYOU and weldone to to the residents who stood up against the illegal harvesting of EA sandalwood out of the Ndoto Mountains.. please give them strength to keep that up..

renovating the well to make it flood proof..

inserting the solar pump

final finishings on the solar panels to try to make sure they are unstealable

sealing the wires.. connection between the solar panels and the pump..

laying the pipe line

 

BINGO.. Water in the little centre.. Every one filling their jerry cans quick just in case the pump stops!!

other stories include.. The Sandal wood scandal ..

this Sandalwood has been removed out of the Matthews and nobody wants to help us stop it.. We have with drawn our support for the area, and removed our scouts as Milgis WILL NOT BE PART OF IT..

Our brand new JCB Tractor continues to dig great pan dams to harvest the rain water .. for wildlife and communities ..

a very grateful lady who recieved help from the milgis .. showing me no more swelling on her throat!

Another lady who walked all the way to Lkanto to say thank you to Cecilie and Anette for educating her child.. lavina

 

RED DAWN, SHEPARDS WARNING!!  MORE RAIN PLEASE!!!!!!!

next blog will show you some fat and happy cows, and lots of grass!!.. Hopefully..

Finally I love this beaded piece …

We can all eat out of the same tree!!

THANK YOU ALL FOR HELPING US, KEEP THIS WORK UP!!