We decided that bringing our organizations together would make our partnership even more beneficial. Through this new model, both WILK and WILK-TEC can work more effectively as they establish more rainwater harvesting projects. Now, as we join forces, we can continue to Kenyans bloom through love and water.

A portion of the rainwater harvesting system and water storage at Imurtot.

A Partnership Years in the Making

Kim Teoli, who worked with WILK under EWB, is enthusiastic about the collaboration.

“WILK’s passion for their work has spread to our engineering team, and at this point, I can’t imagine partnering with anyone else. I’m excited to join the WILK team, and I know that we’ll be able to get even more done as one organization.”

Kim Teoli, Principal Contract Manager, Pepco Holdings

WILK-TEC’s mission is to leverage the expertise of dedicated professionals to design, develop, and implement sustainable water projects in Kenya. Committed to fostering positive transformation, they strive to improve access to clean water sources, enhance sanitation practices, and uplift local communities by combining technical innovation, cultural sensitivity, and collaborative partnerships.

Building on Past Success, Together

Throughout the years, this group of engineers has provided great technical expertise, and energetic, fun, willing, and enthusiastic volunteers from many engineering disciplines. They designed a replicable rainwater system at Imurtot that will be implemented at other sites, providing clean water for students to improve their education and well-being.

In 2016, EWB visited Imurtot to determine how to construct a robust, reliable water storage system, a project they completed in 2020. Earlier this year, EWB had the chance to revisit Imurtot to complete repairs and scout new locations to implement their rainwater system.

Successful partnerships bring out the best in the parties, maximize strengths, and help us reach our shared goals. This has surely been the case with this gracious team of engineers. Join us in welcoming WILK-TEC to the WILK family!

The engineering team working to install gutters at Imurtot. When we say they’re experts, we mean it!

Supporting WILK-TEC

You can support WILK-TEC directly by visiting their giving page here.

WILK-TEC is always looking for new members and volunteers. They are not just an engineering organization–there are plenty of opportunities for non-engineering experience, such as health, education, graphic design, language, business, and many other backgrounds. WILK-TEC also has plenty of opportunities to support both local and international communities.

To get involved, email the team at wilktec@waterislifekenya.org.

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About the Project

A few years ago, this desire to help Kenyans evolved during a family trip to Kenya. On the trip, they visited an orphanage whose library was in disrepair. When they arrived home, Michael Jr. and Nathan started collecting books for the library. In just a few months, they collected hundreds of books, as well as funds to refurbish the library. They were so happy when they got to see the transformation at that orphanage—a result of their hard work and determination.

Charity is a key staff member at Country House and first learned about WILK back in 2022 when our board members, Dr. Tannian and Mark, visited to give an Armchair Traveler experience of Kenya. Several months ago Joyce and Charity came together with hopes of beginning a new project for Michael and Nathan to help Kenyans in need.

Joyce invited the boys to participate in phase 3 of the Esukuta Community Borehole, established by WILK in 2015. This phase would consist of installing toilets and planting trees for the community.

Toilets & Trees for Esukuta

With a clear vision and goal, this remarkable family got to work. From bake sales to knocking on doors to talking at church, Michael Jr. and Nathan inspired over $9,000 in donations, enough to fund the construction of toilets and showers, as well as the planting of 500 trees!

When they visited Kenya earlier this summer, everybody chipped in to help plant these 500 saplings in Esukuta. The community was so grateful for the family’s support that the elders offered the boys a traditional Maasai blessing. They got to sit on a 200-year-old ceremonial stool, drink from an ancient vessel, and were even gifted some nifty beaded shirts!

As far as growing trees in an arid climate—the chief and principal at Nasipa Primary School agreed that every tree would be tended by a student. They would use the borehole to water the trees daily and make sure they stay alive.

A Kenyan Family’s Story

In front of a packed room, the family shared about their trip and what they were able to accomplish thanks to dozens of generous donations. Through Charity, Michael, Michael Jr., and Nathan, a tremendous amount of support was mobilized for the Esukuta community (who has been plagued by the drought and have not received rain in over 3 years). They were all moved by the dryness and dustiness of Esukuta, as well as the dire importance of water. Those in attendance were intrigued, astonished, and impressed at the devotion of this family and the scope of WILK’s projects.

After seeing for themselves how one of our boreholes changes a community, Michael Sr. encouraged Country House residents to consider supporting Water is Life Kenya in the future. We look forward to making new friends as they enter our generous community in support of Kenyans in need!

After the presentation, one resident said, “This was the best entertainment we’ve had in a while!” We couldn’t agree more—Michael and Nathan brought the (Country) House down! We believe generous acts like this are worth sharing with others, and we’re so happy Michael and Nathan were willing to share this experience with us.

We are so grateful to this Kenyan family for supporting our communities and inspiring so much goodness. They have truly made a world of difference for Esukuta!

The post Project Update: A Kenyan Family Brings Hope Back Home appeared first on Water is Life Kenya.

Alongside their parents, Charity and Michael, the boys spread the word about their project and started raising money. One of their fundraising tactics was to run bake sales, which they did at their school and in their neighborhood. With help from their parents, Michael and Nathan sold desserts, bottles of water, and hope to everyone who passed by. They also knocked on their neighbors’ doors to share about their project. As they told others what they were planning to do, the donations flooded in.

To date, they have raised over $9,000 in just a few months!

Not only did these two young men take this fundraising/service project on headfirst, but they also shared their goals with their friends, including Michael, a student at Wilmington Charter School. Inspired by his friends’ endeavor, Michael gave a presentation on behalf of his friends to his school. Sponsored by the EcoAlliance club, the talk educated the students about the Maasai in Kenya, as well as how Michael and Nathan will be serving others this summer.

Michael and Nathan Are Ready to Help

This is what Water is Life Kenya hopes to do for others–inspire them to serve others and put love in action. That’s exactly what Michael and Nathan did.

Soon, Michael, Nathan, their mother Charity, and their father Michael will travel to Kenya, meet with Joyce, and complete their service. We are so proud of them for having a vision, raising money, and serving their neighbors in Kenya!

Follow our blog to watch as their project unfolds.

The post Toilets, Trees, and Baked Goods: How Michael and Nathan are Helping their Fellow Kenyans Bloom appeared first on Water is Life Kenya.

To keep you in the know, we’ve compiled highlights from our WILK Wednesdays for you here. We hope you enjoy this brief review of how you and our generous community of donors have been helping Kenyans bloom this year.

Working With Our Partners

In January, we hosted Engineers Without Borders – Delaware Professional Chapter, an amazing group of engineers who volunteer their vacation time to complete service projects in Kenya. This time, they worked at Imurtot Primary School in Loitokitok to repair the rainwater catchment system they installed in 2020. They also scouted for areas where they can provide water collection assistance in the future. We look forward to EWB’s next project!

We also partnered with the Lions Club, which has connected us to many selfless people. On February 9, we visited the United Nations campus in Nairobi for the annual Lions Day at the UN event. Speakers including Deputy President of Kenya Rigathi Gachagua discussed the importance of tackling the global climate crisis. The persistence of lengthy droughts, including the 2.5-year-long drought that communities in Kajiado County dealt with, has negatively affected the Kenyan economy. The Lions stand in solidarity with local NGOs, as climate change has brought problems to much of East Africa and around the world.

In happier news, our friend Paul of the Pike Creek Green Hills Lions Club made a donation for the Nooriro Community Borehole, drilled just after Lions Day. In fact, Paul was with us when, at 150 meters, we hit water! The mission for each Lions Club is to serve others, and our friends from Pike Creek went above and beyond that calling to help the people in Nooriro get that much closer to having clean water available to them.

Borehole Projects in Progress

Not only did we begin a new borehole project in Nooriro, we also celebrated the Opening Ceremony for the Empalakai borehole in Rombo, Kajiado. Sakimba Parashina, a member of the Kenyan Parliament, was there for the ceremony. Also present was the choir from St. Francis Church in Karen, Nairobi—where Joyce sings. They celebrated with great gusto, singing hymns and bringing food to the women of Empalakai. The event also was featured on CitizenTV, the local Kenyan news station. With clean water now available, residents can come back to Empalakai and take advantage of their new local water source. A video of this event is available on Water is Life Kenya’s YouTube page.

We also installed a water pump for the borehole at Ilkisonko Boys High School which was drilled last year. This pump was purchased through the generosity of our Giving Tuesday donors, who helped us raise $15,000 in a single day. Many Maasai men have attended and graduated from Ilkisonko, and the school’s reputation has improved due to its strong, dedicated teachers. Now the borehole is not only benefiting the Ilkisonko students at staff, but also providing clean water to the surrounding community.

This month, construction at Nooriro has begun. Our contractor has been hard at work to lay the foundation for the water tank, pump house, pipelines, and latrines. Local people are benefitting from the work, too, as they’re hired and paid fairly as day laborers. The community is delighted to be building this well together!

Hope for Widows

It’s been a year since we implemented our Hope for Widows Pilot Program. Based on the results we’ve complied, we’ve learned so much about what we can do to help women who otherwise would have to beg for food and money to support their children.

After 7 training sessions, in November these widows were each were given $200 and three goats at the Goats and Grants Ceremony. Then they started their businesses in December, and we’ve been monitoring their progress to determine how we can make the program more effective in the future. Even during the worst part of the drought, 50-60% of the women used their new skills to both save money for food and school fees as well as invest more into their business. What a victory!

Recent Events

We’ve been all over the tristate area to spread the word about WILK! In March, we participated in the Faith Filled Women Conference in Salisbury, MD, bringing news—and beads!—to women from different churches in the area. We also took part in Dansko Ladies Night in West Grove, PA. It was fun to spend time with our friends at Dansko again and connect with the other community vendors that were there.

In April, we partnered with CoroAllegro for three nights of music and culture in their Around the World in 80 Minutes concerts. Our very own Joyce Tannian collaborated with the group and brought some Kenyan music to Newark and Wilmington. We also overcame the rain while under tents at University of Delaware’s AG Day event. Students, parents, professors, and Newark community members stopped by to learn more about how they can support our Maasai friends in Kenya, and hundreds of people walked away with beautiful Beaded Handicrafts. What’s better than spreading joy and hope on a rainy day? 

We also hosted our 7^th Thirst Reverse event in Newark, DE, as well as our 1^st in Ardmore, PA. Both events were at Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant locations. Thanks to their generosity—and the generosity of all our esteemed, Kenyan-Quench-drinking guests—we were able to raise funds to reboot our Livestock as a Business (LAB) program. Many people were excited to donate cows and goats to our Kenyan friends! We hope to take this event on the road again, branching out to new areas to reach even more people who would like to eat, grab a beer, and learn about our life-changing work.

Past and Present Special Campaigns

Last but not least, we’ve promoted several campaigns to help our Maasai friends deal with the drought that’s only recently let up. In September, October, and November, we brought food staples to both schools and families throughout Kajiado County. Then again in February, with the drought still in effect, we delivered more food to schools whose students were starving. In all, you, our donors, contributed $45,000 in food relief during the worst part of the drought.

During our time in Kenya, we saw just how many people, and especially women, suffered because of the drought. It impacted their ability to purchase food, pay school fees, and, in general, care for their families. So many children came to us for help because they just wanted to go back to school. We started our sponsorship program, Special Faces, Special Cases, to help support those who needed money for their school fees. We hope to sponsor as many children as we can so that they’ll get the education they want so much.

That brings us to the present! We hope you’ve enjoyed our summary of events and operations from the year so far. Please consider signing up for our bi-monthly WILK Wednesday newsletter at our new website so you can follow along in real time. And, as always, thank you for your continued support over the last fifteen years. None of this work would be possible without dedicated supporters like you.

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It’s a Small World, the saying goes — so small, in fact, that CoroAllegro hopes to take you “Around the World in Eighty Minutes” at its choral concert later this week. 

This amazingly diverse and intense collection of folk and local music, packed into a program less than an hour and a half in length, spans six continents, 15 different cultures and 11 languages.

The program is mostly locally grown folk music —  a wild Scottish dance, a tender Korean love ballad, a sentimental American tune, a popular Argentinian bossa nova, an evocative Estonian ode. There’s a Ukrainian shepherd song, driving and intense; a hand-clapping Arabic invocation of praise; an anguished, layered musical poem where tribal Aboriginal folk struggle with the overwhelming confusion of modern, civilized chaos. 

And there’s the sweet, sentimental Irish ballad “Danny Boy.”  Around the world with your head still spinning, but home in time for bed!

“There is so much unique cultural expression that comes through the music,” says Sam Stein, CoroAllegro’s interim music director.

The group’s hope, he says, is that music brings humankind together into community. 

Consider a Ukrainian shepherding song, set against a Russian folk dance — two songs from countries currently locked in a death match. Challenged to justify his programming decision, Stein said, “The people who made the music have no animosity toward one another.”

CoroAllegro is something of a musical institution in the area.  Now in its 36^th season, it has established a reputation for creative and sometimes unusual programming. The group has been known for taking chances, chorally speaking, including commissioning a number of new works from local and nationally known composers, and presenting challenging pieces from outside of the traditional canon. 

Recent offerings include “Madrigal Mystery Tour” (a Beatles review), “Fifty Years of Disney,” and an entire program featuring women composers.

“We are trying to bring the music to a broader audience” says Becky Kelly, board president. “Through partnering and collaborating with local groups, we support the causes that we believe in while we make the best music we’re capable of.”

CoroAllegro (loosely translated from the Italian — “Merry Choir”) is a labor of love for its singers, who include both professional musicians and experienced amateurs. Periodically, it expands its chamber choir profile to become CoroAllegro and Friends, inviting singers from the area to join in putting on larger-scale works with orchestral accompaniment. 

Speaking of partnering with local groups, CoroAllegro is sharing the platform (literally) this time with Water Is Life Kenya (WILK).

This vital Newark-based nonprofit is focused on getting water access for the indigenous and drought-stricken Maasai people of Kenya. 

“We have 27 active clean water projects, and we’ve been able to serve about 80,000 people,” says Aaron Lemma, operations and outreach manager. “Our new program, Hope for Widows, helps make survival possible for women who have lost their husbands.” 

As an added bonus, Joyce Tannian, co-founder and executive director of WILK, also happens to be a well-known vocal artist.  She’ll join the group and perform the solo part on “Sigalagala,” a Lua spiritual praise song made popular by the Muungano National Choir of Kenya.

It’s not just a small world.  It’s a fragmented, fractured world.  CoroAllegro keeps hoping that holding up the unique musical voices of our variety can also reclaim what makes us all human together.

CoroAllegro presents “Around the World in Eighty Minutes,” Friday, April 28, 7:30 p.m., at Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Newark. Also, Saturday, April 29 at 7 p.m. at Concord Presbyterian Church, Wilmington. Tickets available at coroallegro.com. CoroAllegro is funded in part by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts.

Carl Burnam is a tenor with CoroAllegro.

The post CoroAllegro Offers a Musical Journey Around the World with Aim to Bring Us Together appeared first on Water is Life Kenya.

The Return of Thirst Reverse (two locations)

We’re returning to Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant for two Thirst Reverse Events. On Wednesday, April 19, you can find us in Newark, DE, from 11:00am-9:00pm. Then on Wednesday, May 3, we’ll be at Iron Hill in Ardmore, PA, from 4:00pm-9:00pm. You’ll also have a chance to purchase Kenyan-made beaded jewelry and handicrafts at our table.

20% of your food (in-house or to go) and non-alcoholic beverage purchases will be donated to Water is Life Kenya for our water and livestock projects, along with $1 from every pint of Kenyan Quench, which will be on tap. Let your server know you’d like to support Water is Life Kenya.

Reservations are recommended for both locations.

CoroAllegro & WILK Concerts (two locations)

Local musical ensemble CoroAllegro has invited our own Joyce Tannian to collaborate on their spring concert: Around the World in 80 Minutes. The first concert at Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Newark starts at 7:30pm on Friday, April 28, and the second at Concord Presbyterian Church in Wilmington starts at 7:00pm on Saturday, April 29. You’ll hear songs from different countries and cultures around the world. We’re grateful for the opportunity to co-present this concert, and even bring Kenyan music to Delaware! At each concert, our Beaded Handicrafts will be on sale. Tickets are $20 each. To purchase one, please click here.

University of Delaware’s AG Day

For the first time, Water is Life Kenya will be representing the Maasai community and our Livestock as a Business program at UD’s AG day! Activities, entertainment, animals, plant sales, educational exhibits, entertainment, and UDairy Creamery ice cream will all be present. The 2023 Ag Day theme, “Ag Around the Corner,” puts the spotlight on local farms and wildlife, with a particular focus on opportunities for young people to engage and participate in the future of agriculture and natural resources throughout Delaware. We can’t wait to be a part of this awesome event!

Newark Center For Creative Learning’s Greenfest

We’re happy to be celebrating sustainability with our friends over at the NCCL School for their annual Kid’s Greenfest celebration. NCCL School is an environmentally-conscious, progressive elementary/middle school located in Newark, Delaware. Greenfest is an educational event with the mission of promoting sustainable living for children and families in the local community.

The post Where in the World is WILK: Upcoming Events appeared first on Water is Life Kenya.

The short rains, which are supposed to fall between November and January, have failed, representing the 5^th consecutive failed rainy season in Kenya. Whatever the cause, the situation has become desperate.

The Effect of Drought on Learning

January 23, 2023, was opening day of the school year. The Kenyan school year includes three terms, from January through December, with breaks in between. Tuition is free at government schools, but fees for boarding, books, water, and meals aren’t.

At Olmoti Primary school, only 25% of students have shown up to school, most of them without enough money to pay their school fees. Those who didn’t arrive likely have no money at all. The “cow bank” is empty. Many who have arrived haven’t paid in full, making it difficult for the school to buy the necessary food and supplies to board students. When students don’t have enough to eat, their only option is to sleep.

Education, and thus the progress of an entire region, has been halted in Kajiado County.

What We’re Doing

We know that if these schools receive food, some parents of boarding students will have a grace period to scrape together money. If food is provided for several weeks, head teachers can grant parents more time to send the first installment. If nothing is done, many students will stay at home this school term, a dangerous situation that could result in education disruption, starvation, pregnancy, and early marriages.

Drought is blocking access to education, the key to development in Kenya. We’re planning to remove this barrier by providing meals to school students through the Food for a Brighter Future Campaign.

This Water is Life Kenya donor community has supported drought relief before, raising over $30,000 in 2022. Can you help us inch towards $15,000 more this January and February?

What Your Donation Will Do

Money will purchase maize and beans for 3 schools in the most drought-affected areas: Olmoti, Imisigyio, and Imurtot Primary Schools, all schools that have benefitted from our nearby water projects.

Note:

Below is an estimate of current prices. Due to inflation and the drought, prices have increased since our last drought relief campaign. Our Co-Founder, Joseph Larasha, will confirm the prices in late January. He even doubts that maize is available at all. We may have to buy rice instead. The difficulty remains the same for agricultural communities in Kenya—there has been no harvest due to prolonged drought.

The only good thing for us is that the dollar has more buying power in Kenya due to a weak shilling.

• 7,500 Kenyan Shillings, or $62.50 – cost for a 90 kg bag of maize
• 15,000 Kenyan Shillings, or $125 – cost for 90 kg bag of beans

Though we can’t make it rain, we can help these children and their families ensure a future to look forward to with Food for their First Term of the school year. Will you help us bring them food and hope by donating to this Food for a Brighter Future Fundraising Campaign?

The post The Challenge of Feeding Students During Drought appeared first on Water is Life Kenya.

After years of leading successful operations at WILK, Joyce is keeping both the dream of clean water and her musical talents alive.  On Sunday, October 16^th, 2022, she performed a collaborative, celebratory concert with Rob Kennan called Music, Water & Life.  Joyce sang as she has been since the inception of WILK: in a state of joyful anticipation, for a hopeful future, and to put love into action.

Music—The Unseen Spirit of WILK

WILK’s origin story traces back to 2001. Pursuing a singing career in New York City, Joyce witnessed the terrorist attacks of September 11 and the coming-together that happened afterwards. The events of that day moved her deeply, leading her to ask, “What would it look like to put love in action?” Answering this question through volunteer work, delivering food to the hungry in NYC, visiting the chronically ill, and a trip to Kenya that revealed the lack of easy access to education, Joyce found herself halfway across the globe on a walk for women’s education in Kenya. There, she saw the daily struggle of poverty-stricken communities to gather water daily as a barrier to development, education, liberation, and resilience.

Alongside Maasai elder Joseph Larasha, Joyce dedicated her life to bringing water to these communities.  Fast forward 15 years and these two have led the completion of 25 clean water projects, 627 graduates of the Livestock As A Business program, and 70,000 individuals with reliable clean water.  It’s with this track record that WILK begins celebrating 15 years of success, recognizing that a tremendous amount of work lies ahead.

Water is Life Kenya began with the spirit of Joyce’s musical talents mobilizing love, possibility, and devotion into action for the service of others.  15 years later, music provides spiritual fuel and strong way to communicate and connect about Joyce’s mission to help those in need and inspire those who want to help. 

Music, Water & Life

In conjunction with Newark United Methodist Church and pianist, baritone Rob Kennan, Joyce led the celebration of 15 years of Water is Life Kenya at the collaborative Music, Water & Life concert on Sunday, October 16, 2022.  The two-act performance was joined by the NUMC Youth Choir and longtime WILK friend Joe Ambrosino after intermission.  

The first act featured German and Russian classics from Johannes Brahms and Sergei Rachmaninoff, and a rendition of the traditional Irish folk song “She Moved Through the Fair.”  Moving on to some of Joyce’s Broadway favorites, she performed a duet with Rob (“Do You Love Me?” from Joseph Stein’s Fiddler on the Roof) which enlivened the audience, moving them to laughter, smiles, and tears.  Next came foreign language show tunes, including Surabaya Johnny, Nocturne, Nana, followed by Black Coffee, performed in English. 

Before intermission, Joyce shared with the crowd what the spirit of Kenya sounds like with a Kiswahili rendition of How Great Thou Art, with a final verse in English which was joined by an engaged audience.  The first act ended with another traditional hymn, Hall Johnson’s Ride on King Jesus, a powerful song that gave a sense of hope to everyone listening.

After intermission, Joyce premiered a musical rendition of Mary Oliver’s poem “Lingering in Happiness,” a world premiere, with music composed by Chris Walters. the NUMC’s Youth Choir contributed their voices to the concert. singing “Sisi Ni Moja,” which in Kiswahili means “We are one.”  For this song, they were accompanied by the NUMC Choral Scholars.  Joyce and the Youth Choir were then joined by guest percussionist, the wonderful Joe Ambrosino, for the special performance of the night: the emphatic and evocative “Prayer for Water”, an improvised piece for percussion and vocalist. An energized crowd closed the night by singing along with Joyce in the evening’s last song, “Water” by Eduard Glumov & Kate Northrop.

Moved by music and the same spirit that founded this charitable hear-work 15 years ago, the audience found themselves inspired, hopeful, and a part of something bigger than themselves.  Made up of both long-time donors and new friends, this crowd was treated by this magical night, made possible by the generous contributions of Rob, Joyce, Joe, and the NUMC family.

From Inspiration to Action – An Appeal During Drought

At the end of the concert, Joyce shared closing remarks that helped all in attendance gain a sense of place and perspective.  In a few powerful minutes, she shared about the horrors endured by the people WILK serves in Southern Kenya who are currently enduring the worst regional drought in 40 years.  The drought has caused livestock, the primary subsistence of Maasai people to die, devastating incomes.  Along with rising inflation, food prices are skyrocketing as the poor harvest caused shortage of food staples.  The situation is not expected to improve anytime soon, though WILK is praying for the rainy season this November and December to be productive.

Joyce announced the launch of the 2022 Drought Relief Campaign which will deliver food staples such as maize, beans, and cooking oil to 1,000 Maasai families in the next couple of weeks.  Donations collected for this campaign will be used to feed up to 8,000 people who have been affected the most by the dire circumstances caused from more than two years of drought.

Following the concert, a reception was held as a thank you for those who could attend. Old and new faces came together for refreshments and conversation.  Sales from handicrafts, including hand-beaded jewelry made by Maasai women, along with single donations helped us meet 25% of the campaign goal in just one evening.

It’s contributions from the Water is Life Kenya community that allows us to make such a huge impact for those who need it most.  Thank you for your continued support of the Maasai community in Kenya.

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