COOPERATION

Our water comes from one of the many springs of the Ngorongoro escarpment. 

With help from the Selela Village Government and from young Maasai we have laid pipes from the spring high up the hills down to our camp and to a subvillage of Selela. Now Maasai people can tap fresh water closer to their ‘bomas’ (Maasai village).
Maasai women with cattle at the tap point
Maasai women at the water tap point near Ol Mesera
Maasai boys herding cattle instead of attending school
Maasai boys herding cattle instead of attending school
This first cooperation for fresh water has subsequently led to the support of some village children, enabling them to attend secondary school after their primary education.
Although education is free for primary school, parents still have to pay for books and a uniform.
For secondary school they have to pay ‘school fees’ as an additional expense. As a consequence the childrens' formal education usually stops after primary school.
With the strength of family ties, priority is naturally given to the nourishment of every family member, before the price for education. Due to the frequent occurrence of HIV/AIDS and other serious diseases (malaria, tuberculosis, cholera), a lot of children are officially orphaned but are automatically adopted by relatives.
These families then expand and share the little they have, of course leaving little money for secondary schooling.
Maasai family in their 'boma'
Maasai family in their 'boma'
Children at school
Children at school
To further support the education of local children in their own environment, in the near future Ol Mesera would like to help provide a primary school for the subvillage of Selela, close to the fresh water tap. As a result more children would be allowed to attend school instead of only herding cattle. They’ll be able to return home after school with the water and - an extra stimulus to attend school - their stomachs filled with a simple school meal.

For this plan we first need the commitment of a Tanzanian NGO before we set up a small foundation, within which we can officially invest a part of our profits and guests' donation.

With the development of Ol Mesera Tented Camp since 2005, we have created local job opportunities. Most staff members are from Selela, some from Mto wa Mbu and our cook is from Arusha.
Road between Ol Mesera and Selela
Road between Ol Mesera and Selela