Oloonkolin news

Koningsdag Woningsdag 2020

Every King's Day in the Netherlands, Vivian, originally Kenyan, is on the free market on behalf of the Oloonkolin Foundation to sell jewelry made by the Maasai women from Oloonkolin Kenya.The proceeds go to improving the living conditions of the people in Oloonkolin in areas of hygiene, health care and emancipation. Thanks to her efforts and our volunteers and donors, we have already made great strides in Oloonkolin! We have been able to build a successful health care center and provide the residents with clean and safe drinking water.

The spread of the coronavirus affects us all and, of course, there is no free market this year to raise money. The number of corona patients is also increasing drastically in Kenya, the number of infected patients are increasing every day. In many poor remote areas of Kenya, health care is hardly available, in our health center in Oloonkolin the pressure due to the number of corona infections is very high. Funds are needed for protective equipment for our health workers, so that they too can continue to perform their work safely and provide care to the community.

We highly appreciate your support during this difficult time! We hope you can help Vivian with a contribution to protect the health workers of Oloonkolin and help them fight COVID-19 safely!

Thank you very much in advance for your kind support.

A thank you to all medical teams around the world

On behalf of the board of the Oloonkolin Kenya Foundation, I would also like to thank you very much for the support you have given so far to our activities in Oloonkolin.

Special thanks and respect go to our volunteers and the medical team who put their lives at risk for us in such difficult circumstances and take personal risks. They deserve our support to be facilitated with all the resources they need to protect themselves and and treat patients to the best of their ability. This requires financial resources and your support is very welcome!

Kingsday Kinkerstreet Amsterdam 2019

A fantastic and successful Kingsdag for our team in Amsterdam. We can make a woman in Oloonkolin happy with a water tank of clean drinking water at her home. This will save her precious time and energy, giving them more time to make jewelry to sell and generate income for the family.

We would like to thank all the volunteers, donors and others who have helped in the implementation of this promotion, very warmly for their tireless work and generosity.

Eye care Project Oloonkolin Kenya

A Dutch medical ophthalmology team from the eye hospital Zonnestraal traveled to Oloonkolin to see how they could improve the eye care service for the Masai community in Narok County. The team consists of two ophthalmologist directors dr. Ton Smit and Dr. Alex Rulo, optometrist Ella Mol, a physician assistant - anesthesie Vivian Mutindi and our cameraman Paul Smit.

On arrival in Kenya, the team was received by the director of the Oloonkolin Foundation Kenya, Mr. David Muthengi, and the health administrator of Narok County, Mr. Peter Oleshira Silei. Who presented the team with their agenda, including meetings with the County Director of Health doctor Francis Kioo and the county secretary, Ms Elizabeth Lolchoki 'on behalf of the Governor of Narok County', Kenya. Discussin goals, achievements and future plans of Oloonkolin Foundation Kenya.

The medical team was very impressed with the warm welcome in Kenya, the developments expecialy in the village Oloonkolin and the willingness of the local officials to improve the healthcare in Narok County.

Care4Needs this year Care4Africa

Care4Needs has been in March 2018 in Oloonkolin

Care4needs mission is to show the world good and social projects aimed at improving the living conditions of people and animals. But also of those who save the environment. With the video they make of their work, the project owners can tell their story and earn more donations. last year they traveled through Asia to help small charities. This year they are planning to do the same in Africa and therefore also visit the masai in Oloonkolin. Here is the report from their visit. See what the Oloonkolin Foundation is doing in this area from Kenya.

Oloonkolin Foundation Kenya featured on TV!

Chair Vivian Mutindi was interviewed by presenter Iris Rulkens on the programme 'Lifestyle Experience' on RTL 4. Vivian was born in Kenya and came to the Netherlands at the age of twelve. She told Iris about her subsequent return to her country of birth where she saw the dreadful living conditions of the Maasai tribe.

Ton Smit was interviewed too. He is an ophthalmologist at Oogziekenhuis Zonnestraal in Amersfoort and is the medical director of the laser centre. Ton spoke about his experiences with the Maasai in Oloonkolin and the necessity of building a health centre. Curious to find out more about what Vivian and Ton had to say about the Maasai and developments in the village of Oloonkolin? Broadcasted in Lifestyle Experience on RTL 4 on Sunday 29 October at around 14:20 hours. The programme has been screened again on Saturday 4 November on RTL 5 at about 15:00 hours.

New encounters on the Pantindag

Oloonkolin Foundation attends Partin conference, 30 September 2017

A few people from the Foundation attended the Partin conference. A meeting and networking platform for small charitable causes. We attended various workshops on fundraising with other options for fundraising and generating publicity online, communications, education and new developments in the provision of water services. The latter in particular generated many new ideas and contacts. Alternative water pumps and means of water treatment, numerous drilling techniques and more. In addition, we established many new contacts with other organisations and thus new opportunities for the future.

An ineterview for Radio El Mundo

Oloonkolin in action on Radio El Mundo.NL.

Radio El Mundo broadcast live from the Partin conference. Vivian and David Muthengi, our local partner in Kenya, were there too and used the opportunity to appeal for assistance with the construction of a health centre in Oloonkolin. David spoke about life for the people of Oloonkolin and the necessity of building a health centre. He also entertained listeners with exciting tales about wild animals in and around Oloonkolin. One time, after he got up early in the morning, he thought he heard his friend mowing the grass, until he discovered a herd of elephants were eating his plants.

Our thanks go to Radio El Mundo and the donors for their support and contributions towards the construction of the health centre in Oloonkolin.

Partnership with Wilde Ganzen

Good news: Stichting Oloonkolin Foundation Kenya entered into a partnership with Wilde Ganzen on 26 August 2017. They will build a health centre for the Maasai of Oloonkolin together. That will provide about 10,000 residents with access to health care. The centre will run programmes for sight and hearing tests, and care of mother and baby. At the same time, it will provide education in family planning, hygiene and a healthy lifestyle.

Market stall on Odiondag

Odion residents assist with construction of the health centre

Residents of Odion Londenhaven residential centre in Purmerend are helping Oloonkolin Foundation Kenya build a health centre. These residents have a physical, mental or hearing impairment, but play a central role in society thanks to Londenhaven.

The annual community party took place in Londenhaven on 8 July 2017. This year, the event focused on Oloonkolin Foundation Kenya. The day started with a group bicycle ride. The cyclists enjoyed the beautiful natural surroundings of the polder. The children had plenty of fun together on the inflatable castle and they had make-up applied by Chantal Westerhoff de Ruiter. Many children and adults had their nails painted by Melissa Westerhoff and there was Maasai jewellery on sale. The table shuffleboard provided much entertainment and little groups played Boules. The evening ended with a BBQ, music and dancing.

The Londenhaven community raised a generous contribution to support Oloonkolin Foundation Kenya in building the primary healthcare centre. Our sincere thanks go to Odion and the residents of Londenhaven for their efforts on behalf of the people of Oloonkolin(http://www.stichtingoloonkolin.nl).

King's Day 2017, Cuijk
King's Day 2017 De Valuwe, Cuijk . Read more....

King's Day 2017, Cuijk

Oloonkolin Foundation Kenya visited De Valuwe in Cuijk on King's Day 2017. Vivian and Soesma sold Maasai jewellery, coffee, tea and Surinamese snacks at the market. The proceeds went towards the construction of a health centre for the residents of the village of Oloonkolin. The jewellery attracted interest and sold well. Local broadcaster WijkTV De Valuwe also contributed to a better and healthier future for Oloonkolin. Our thanks go to everyone who supported Vivian and Soesma.

Chantal and colleagues did the Mud Masters in Haarlem
A group of colleagues and I did the Mudmasters obstacle course on 22 April. Read more....

Mudmasters in Haarlem

A group of colleagues and I did the Mudmasters obstacle course on 22 April. I decided it would be a good idea to be sponsored to raise funds for the health centre we want to build in Oloonkolin. A colleague and I raised 150 Euros by covering a distance of 6 km. It was incredibly tough but we did it for a good cause. The sum raised will contribute to the health of the residents of Oloonkolin, because they are also entitled to good healthcare and the medical facilities that will make this possible. At present, there are still too many residents falling ill and dying because the medical facilities are 60 km away and there is no efficient transport system. In addition, girls fall pregnant with their first baby at a very young age.

Now that we have ensured the residents have clean drinking water, our next objective is to provide medical facilities to offer first aid and advice on different illnesses and prevention of pregnancy at a very young age.
We hope to have made a meaningful contribution to a good health centre.

Dircoline van Ekeris and Chantal Westerhoff de Ruiter

King's Day 2016
Naturally, we celebrated King's Day 2016 with a stand. It was a great success.Read more....

27 April 2016
Naturally, we celebrated King's Day 2016 with a stand. It was a great success.

We were at the Vondelpark in Amsterdam. The weather was good and there were plenty of people out. We built a beautiful stand, which attracted a great deal of interest, not least because of Jalli Lamin Kuyateh who played African music on his Kora (a traditional string instrument).

We focused on collecting funds for the WASH (Water, Sanitation, Hygiene) project aimed at providing healthy living conditions for the people of Oloonkolin (especially the children).

Orange balloons were also released in Oloonkolin in honour of our king.

Our thanks go to everyone who supported us.

Sponsored walk by De Waai School in Cuijk raises a record sum
10 Mai 2016
Amidst great interest, the proceeds of the "Clean Water for Oloonkolin" sponsored walk were made known today. Read more....

Amidst great interest, the proceeds of the "Clean Water for Oloonkolin" sponsored walk were made known today. A record sum of € 7,969.19 was raised thanks to the incredible efforts of the children of De Waai primary school in Cuijk! A terrific result for the wonderful boys and girls of Cuijk who pulled out all the stops for the children of Oloonkolin.

The proceeds will enable us to supply one of the schools in Oloonkolin with clean water. The girls there will no longer have to walk long distances to fetch water in the filthy river teeming with wild animals. They can now collect water from the school with their mothers. Children can therefore continue attending school to learn and their mothers have time to work and earn money for their families. Everyone is healthier and the likelihood of absenteeism caused by illness (infections) is far lower.

Jalli Lamin Kuyateh provided a musical accompaniment to the announcement of this fantastic result on his Kora (a traditional string instrument). There was also a stand with information about Oloonkolin and handmade Kenyan arts and crafts for sale.

Our heartfelt thanks go to the children and their teachers for their efforts on behalf of the children of Oloonkolin!!

Sponsored walk by Brede School in Middenmeer a resounding success
22 March 2016
The Oloonkolin sponsored walk by Brede School in Middenmeer raised the impressive sum of € 6,036.91. Read more....

22 march 2016
The Oloonkolin sponsored walk by Brede School in Middenmeer raised the impressive sum of € 6,036.91.

On Tuesday 8 March, all pupils of Brede School in Middenmeer participated in a sponsored "Walk for Oloonkolin". With their rucksacks filled with bottles of water, the children set off in high spirits. They were able to experience for themselves what it is like to have to walk a long distance to fetch clean drinking water.

There were two different routes. The children in groups 1 through 4 covered a distance of about two kilometres; the route for the children in groups 5 through 8 was about five kilometres long.

The children of the three divisions of De Brede School raised the impressive sum of € 6,036.91.

On Tuesday 22 March, the proceeds, symbolised by a bottle of water, were presented to the treasurer of Oloonkolin Foundation Kenya. All the children received a small token of appreciation.

The proceeds will go towards the provision of water services in the village of Oloonkolin in Kenya. A big thank you to the children and their teachers for their efforts on behalf of the children of Oloonkolin.