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| Charity project Olara Orok School |
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Update Februaray 2013: News from OLARE OWANG SchoolOn 31st of January Nicholus and me visited the school, we met Dixon, the teacher, Mary his lady colleague and the treasurer of the School committee. |
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The visit by Family Fellner was a top highlight for the children. To the surprise of the young ones, the Family brought with them sporting equipment all the way from Europe. This included skipping ropes and footballs, a real treat for our Maasai children. They couldn’t wait to test their skills. The visitors didn’t miss the opportunity to participate in some of the lessons in the newly built classroom.
It is simply gratifying to see how the Children have become very cheerful, something which is clearly evident from their facial expression. Our special thanks go to our guests for their generous support to the new school. It is the small and big l steps taken which will eventually bring the school to a good foundation. We believe that education is the key to self – empowerment! Based on this stand, we shall continue supporting the young school and always up-date you on new developments.
For more Information and photos visit www.marabushcamp.com
Your Sunworld Safaris & Mara Bush Camp Team
Update August 2012: Olare Orok School - new classrooms
The wooden classrooms of our small Olare Orok Primary School are now ready. This project was sponsored and carried out by a private initiative from England. Zofia, a teacher by profession has been actively involved in constructing schools with timber in many settlements in Northern Kenya with the help of her pupils. This year she decided to visit the Maasai Mara and by sheer coincidence she landed at The Olare Orok School. By beginning of July, two classrooms were constructed within a period of one week. Materials for cementing the floor, desks, tables and guttering for harvesting rain water are ready on site. Only a good craftsman is needed to bring everything to completion. A 1500 liter water tank which is part of the project has already been filled with water courtesy of by Mara Bush Camp water tanker. Mara Bush Camp also donated water purifiers( water guard) with the necessary directions for use to the school to ensure safe drinking water is available.In one of the committee meetings attended by Mara Bush Camp Manager Sabine Jorke, the stakeholders decided to give priority to the training of the two teachers who are positively engaged in their duties at the school. The Narok Teachers training college offers such training during the school holidays. Upon successful completion of the two year course, the teachers will be awarded a diploma in teaching. Dixon Naurori will be the first teacher from the school to attend the teacher training course on the 10th August 2012 and will be fully sponsored by Mara Bush Camp.
Mara Bush Camp sponsors the training course of Dixon Naurori
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The fees required for the training is KSHS 35,000/ (EURO 350.00) an extra KSHS 16,000 ( EURO160.00) is needed to cater for transport and the writing materials for the entire semester, Dixon Naurori is a young man in the early 20s who had short stint of service at Mara Bush Camp when his cousin Keswe was on a brief vacation. We know him well and we appreciate his committed service to the development of young School.
Your Sunworld Safaris & Mara Bush Camp Team
Update July 2012: Trees for Kids at Olare Orok School
The first tree seedlings are planted at our Olare Orok School: Petra & Alexander were not only visiting the small school, they were on a mission; full of enthusiasm they planted the first 2 trees. They carried with them, a hoe, spade and a Jerrican of water from Mara Bush Camp. The children were watching while the visitors planted the trees and a small name tag was placed, with the name of the tree and the donor. Dickson, a teacher in the school, gave two children the responsibility of nurturing the young trees.
The first tree seedlings are planted
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At Mara Bush Camp, we have established a small tree nursery with indigenous trees common in the Mara ecosystem. The available ones at the moment are: The Yellow Acacia, The African Olive and the Orange Leafed Croton. Each seedling costs 20 USD. which is a small amount - but an important contribution to conserve nature.
See more photos on our Mara Bush Camp website.
Update February 2012: News from the OLARE OROK SCHOOL
A couple of days ago, Nicholus; assistant to the manager and Bahati; the camp’s maintenance personnel, visited Olare Orok School to take measurements of gutters for water harvesting during the rainy season which is expected to be starting around mid march. The money for this project was donated by Mara Bush Camp guests during the Christmas season. The rain water harvested will be used for drinking, washing hands, among other things by both the pupils and teachers.
 pupils, teachers and school committee members visit the camp
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Today the 17th of February, a number of pupils, teachers and school committee members came to visit the camp and gave presents as a sign of appreciation for the support given to the school. They brought in a number of bead-work done by the pupils and the locals. A special surprise from them was a ‘HE’- goat to the manager and Mara Bush Camp Team - the irony comes in- the camp manager is a strict vegetarian….
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We also got another present from the heavens as it finally blessed us with some showers after a long time of dryness…double blessing!
We would like to give this big THANK YOU / ASHE OLENG to you, our guests!
Nicholus S. Ngunjiri (Assistand Manager Mara Bush Camp)
Update Jannuary 2012: News from the OLARE OROK SCHOOL
On the last day of the old school year, the 10th November 2011, I took the initiative of visiting the Olare Orok School once again. It was an important day for both pupils and their teacher as it was the day when the brightest students were presented to their school mates and the school committee. I managed to surprise the children with some lovely little gifts that I had carried along. They received a ball and cap each to their delight ! The teachers were rewarded with a school gift set which made everyone very happy. Indeed this was an unexpected reward and some motivation for the others to do well in the next year.
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Afterwards, the school committee and teachers were meeting and discussing the situation on the ground in their village as well as plans for the future. The village community currently consists of 300 women and men whereby 12 are voted into the school committee.
The school has been registered as a „community based organization“ on the basis to receive some sponsorship from the Government. A request for official registration of the land where the school is currently built, has been made.
Some important first steps for the development of the school include:
1. In the school building itself:
- Construction of a toilet
- Building of a fence around the compound
- Collection of rain water into a tank
- To put a cement floor in the school classrooms, so that the children don’t have to sit in the mud when it rains.
2. Development of the School:
- Training of the current young individuals trying to teach the children to become professional „teachers“
- To eventually have a „nursery“ and „primary“ school separately
During our christmas season we had a number of our guests visit the school and ask about this project. The response was excellent and we received some donations in form of money as well as through purchase of school materials (which are available for sale at the camp ) that were generously distributed to the children.
At the re-opening of the Camp in February, I will certainly visit the school again and forward some more „Olare Orok School News“ !
Your Sunworld Safaris & Mara Bush Camp Team
October THE OLARE OROK SCHOOL
In the middle of the savanna, not far from the famous ‘'Double -crossing'' lies the Maasai Village Olare Orok. It is barely 30 minutes drive from Mara Bush Camp. The homesteads, commonly known as Manyattas are systematically spread across the plains. Right in the middle of free, unfenced bush plains stands the eye catching, newly constructed Olare Orok School. A brainchild of parents who wanted to bring education closer to their Maasai children. The nearest schools in the area are found in Talek, Aitong or Mararianda. Pupils usually spend 30 - 40 minutes on foot to reach the schools. No vehicle transport is available in this area.
Olare Orok Schule
In one of the classrooms are two small chairs and a blackboard. The other classroom has three old benches and many enthusiastic students - but nothing else!
The pupils go about their learning with lots of enthusiasm, with the two teachers being eager to impart their knowledge. Parents pay a school fee of Kshs 100/- per child every month. The process of converting the school to a regular government school is quite expensive and time consuming as it takes years of approval and bureaucracy.
We would really like to support this initiative since we believe that the future of Africa lies in educating its children. As the saying goes: "Many drops make an ocean".
school package