The Crisis: On the night of March 8, 2026, the lives of the students at the Engaruka English Medium Primary School (EEMPS) changed in an instant. Devastating landslides and floods swept through the Engaruka Ward, destroying the community’s water infrastructure and leaving our school without a reliable source of clean water. EEMPS suffered no direct flood damage, but the two Engaruka public schools did. They were closed for over a month.
The school and the rest of the community immediately lost their water supply. In addition, about a mile of 4-inch galvanized pipe, which carried water from the community intake to the large community water tank, was mangled and destroyed.
For over a month, our students, some as young as five years old, had to walk more than a mile up to 4 times per day to bathe and fetch water from the river or a nearby health clinic, carrying heavy containers just to meet basic needs for drinking, cooking, and hygiene.
Because there was inadequate water to flush toilets, the school was forced to construct emergency pit latrines for excreta disposal. The school declared a forced mid-term break on April 1, and students did not resume classes until April 13. Before the break, EEMPS classes were shortened significantly because of the time required for students to collect water. The school also paid water haulers to bring water to the school, but this was a challenge because the entire community was competing for water and there were not enough water haulers.
On April 13, classes resumed after Maasai junior warriors from the community created a temporary water intake and pipeline from the temporary water intake to the community water tank, restoring some water to the community’s water distribution system. The restored supply is meager, unreliable, and often too weak to reach the school’s washrooms, but at least there is some water now (not enough for flushing toilets, though). There has been no help from the district, regional, or national government, as the flood damage was widespread, and they do not have the resources to deal with the disaster in a timely manner.
The Reality on the Ground
- Health at Risk: Without clean water, we have seen a rise in water-related illnesses like diarrhea and skin infections.
- Education Disrupted: Students are forced to spend their learning hours fetching water instead of in the classroom.
- Sustainability Threatened: Our school gardens and livestock, vital for the students’ nutrition, are struggling to survive without irrigation and water.
The Solution: A Permanent Well and Treatment System
We refuse to let our students’ futures depend on a temporary water intake. The water supply has been an issue since the school first opened and has only worsened as the number of students and staff has increased. In 2022, the Maasai Education Foundation (MEF) invested $42,000 USD in a new 2.25-mile-long, 2-inch pipeline from the community tank to the school. This pipeline supplied adequate water to the school most of the time, but there were still problems.
To respond, MEF is launching a special fundraiser to develop a well and make other water system improvements for the school.
This system will provide:
- 2800 gal/day of safe, potable water for drinking and cooking.
- A backup water supply for bathing, laundry, flushing toilets, and the school’s livestock herd. We still plan to use water from the community pipeline for non-potable uses. Hopefully, it will be restored later this year.
- A water quality report from the nearby health clinic well shows generally good water quality except for high fluoride levels. A reverse osmosis water treatment system will be required to reduce the fluoride concentration to safe levels.
The Fundraiser Goal: $50,000 USD
A geophysical survey was just completed, which identifies the best location for a well. MEF has secured sufficient funds to start drilling the well, and we plan to start drilling this month (May 2026) . MEF needs your help to finish the job! The total cost for the well, pumps, storage tanks, new piping and electrical supply systems, and water treatment system to remove excessive fluoride is in excess of $50,000 USD. We do not know the exact cost, because it will depend on the well’s final depth, location, and yield. Any excess funds donated will go towards other school needs, such as housing for teachers and other needs.
Matching Funds: The first $20,000 USD in donations from non-MEF Board members will be matched, and there is a special 2X match for the first $1,000 USD in donations from Virginia Tech Service Without Borders students. Matching funds will go towards the new water supply system or other school needs.
MEF’s local partner, the Engaruka Community Initiative Organization (ENCO), which operates the school, has already committed approximately $5,000 USD towards water system improvements, and has already had over $4,000 USD in unplanned emergency expenses (hauling water, medical expenses for increased diarrhea cases, pit latrine costs, etc.) since the flood began. ENCO is invested in addressing the water supply crisis, and now MEF is asking you to join us.
How You Can Help
Every dollar brings us closer to a permanent water supply solution that will protect the school’s children.
Please help by donating during our emergency water crisis fundraiser (May 15-June 15)! You can donate in the following ways:
- Via credit card: https://www.paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/2457198/.
- Via check: Send checks payable to the Maasai Education Foundation to 345 Woods Lane, Newport, VA 24128-4022 USA.
- Via qualified charitable distributions from your IRA if you are 70 ½ or older. Email us at maasaieducationfoundation@gmail.com for info on how to do this.
- Via vehicle and stock donations. Email us at maasaieducationfoundation@gmail.com for instructions.
The Maasai Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity, and all donations are tax-deductible. This fundraiser replaces MEF’s normal mid-year fundraiser.
