PROJECT COMPLETED
Partner: NEO Kenya, led by Wilfred Githongo
The Maasai are a proud nomadic community holding long traditions of cattle herding. Living a nomadic life comes with many challenges and the community is no stranger to a hard life. But this past year has brought on more than they could have prepared for. Floods wiped out crops and caused diseases that attacked many of their cattle. COVID-19 closed down international markets and further isolated the tribe from outside resources and income-generating activities.
Mission ONE partner, Mission to Unreached People (MUPE) is a Christian organization addressing physical and spiritual poverty in the four African countries of Kenya, Tanzania, South Sudan, and Uganda. Through its team of 25+ missionaries, MUPE focuses on empowering communities through its work in education, health, and church development.
A majority of MUPE’s missionaries minister to families in small villages that rely on them for immediate needs, such as providing for their daily meals or helping orphans buy food and clothing. In addition to these daily needs, many MUPE missionaries have expressed a desire to start small projects that can bring in an income for their families; however, MUPE historically hasn’t had these systems in place nor the financial capital to do so.
The Murecars car rental project would support the work of these missionaries and alleviate some financial concerns that hinder them from further serving the most vulnerable in their local contexts.
THE PROBLEM AND THE SOLUTION
COVID-19 has flipped our lives upside down. The world has been forced to change how we interact with people, how we work, and our day-to-day living in order to support our families. For the Maasai tribe, COVID-19 is not the only adversity they faced in 2020. They had major floods and diseases that destroyed their crops and left their cattle malnourished. On top of that, those who rely on selling animals at the market were unable to because of the COVID-19 outbreak. The tribe as a whole had lost hope in where their next meal would come from each day. Pastor Stephen, who is a missionary in the Maasai tribe, was talking to anyone that was willing to listen to see if he can get help for his community.
Everlyn Sankale, a widowed 76-year-old woman, went three days without food. Her son has been without work because of the pandemic and unable to provide for her. Devasted, she was unsure how she would live to see another day. Thanks to Pastor Stephen, she was able to receive emergency food rations and get through another day. Everylyn became emotional and rejoiced that the God she serves remembered her and provided for her. Everlyn was beyond grateful that she and her son didn’t have to worry about food for the next two months.
OUR PLAN
Through our local partners, our goal is to send enough food to the community for two months so that people are no longer starving. Our partners will source the food rations locally to support the Kenyan economy.
Amongst the distribution items will be cooking oil, maize, sugar, and rice.
DESIRED IMPACT
Families that have lived through the trauma of war and the separation from family, friends, language, and culture are desperate for a sense of familiarity. This repatriation project not only provides families with things that are needed to survive, but strategically provides them with the opportunity to thrive through a business. As these families return to their homes and have the tools to succeed at their disposal, they contribute to the flourishing of the entire community through their businesses, their homes, and their modeling of a life of honor.
OUR GOALS
Through our local partners, our goal is to send enough food to the community for two months so that people are no longer starving. Our partners will source the food rations locally to support the Kenyan economy. Amongst the distribution items will be cooking oil, maize, sugar, and rice.