Dirty Water Kills

The Project

Laila village in Narok West Maasai Mara suffers from severe water scarcity. The community depends on open water sources shared with domestic and wild animals, leading to frequent outbreaks of waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and dysentery. Additionally, these sources dry up during the dry season,

forcing villagers to walk long distances in search of water, a burden primarily placed on women and children.

Due to the lack of reliable water sources, children often miss school as they assist in fetching water, which negatively impacts their education. Furthermore, livestock, which is the community’s main economic

resource, suffers during dry seasons, leading to deaths and financial instability. The absence of clean and accessible water also increases healthcare costs as families frequently seek treatment for preventable waterborne illnesses.

This dire situation necessitates immediate intervention. By providing a sustainable water source, we can drastically improve the quality of life in Laila village, ensuring better health, education, and economic

prosperity for the community.

My Story

In the mid 1990’s my wife and I went to Kenya on a photographic safari. My interest in indigenous cultures prompted me to request our guide, to arrange a visit to a remote Samburu village. The Samburu are a primitive nomadic tribe still living in their traditional way very similar to another more well know tribe the Maasai.

Unexpectedly I was approached to help a sick child, and the experience showed me that I could make a difference. I continued to go back to that village for the next three years where we created a small bush clinic.

Our relationship with Kenya continued in the late nineties when our Kenyan friends called upon us to help after the Al Queda bombings of the embassies in Nairobi and Dar Es Salaam. This led to a two-week mission to Nairobi with a team of medical professionals, during which we performed surgeries on over 300 individuals who sustained injuries.

After moving to Woodstock New York in 2005 we established International Community Bakeries an NGO which created two successful bakeries in South African townships.

https://www.neilratnerrockdoc.com/giving-back

After more than 25 years my wife and I went back to Kenya in the summer of 2024. While on safari in the Maasai Mara we met Jonathan Koikai( our Maasai guide). We became friends and I told Jonathan about some of our previous work in Kenya. He shared with me stories about his family and village. ( see Laila Village Water)

My wife and I have decided to help Jonathan, his NGO and Laila Community. We have already created a scholarship fund and are paying for the education of 7 students.

Now we are embarking on our next project. The creation of a well for clean water and we are asking for your help.