A real-life cry in the desert; the plea of the Maikona Village after Rain destroys their livelihood

A real-life cry in the desert; the plea of the Maikona Village after Rain destroys their livelihood

May 13^th, 2017

Devastation after torrential rain - Photo courtesy of: Tumal Orto

 I met him during the Indigenous Terra Madre Conference, in Shillong, India in 2015. As an Indigenous Human Rights Advocate and Presenter my responsibility there was to educate on the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, give a briefing on the then upcoming Climate Change Conference of the Parties in Paris, France, and about the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Galdibe Tumal Orto,59, a pastoralist from the Maikona Village located in the heart of the Chalbi Desert in Marsabit County, in Northern Kenya, was one of the attendees. This gentleman with a personality, eyes and smile that brighten the entire room was an active participant in our audience. As we continued speaking during our stay in India, I learned about his community, his desire to help it prosper and the great significance of the livestock in a pastoralists’ life. To those who have not been exposed to this way of life, when hearing or reading about livestock, they pretty much imagine someone just gracing their animals in the beautiful green fields and perhaps even images of the Norwegian fairy tale of the “Three Billy Goats Gruff”. They do not connect it to a way of Sustenance for entire families, do not even fathom the fact that many at times have to walk long distances to grace their animals in a semi-arid terrain, or that it brings the opportunity to Education to the pastoralists’ children nor do they see it as the one factor that could either make or mar their lives forever. As said the World Bank Country Director for Kenya, Diarietou Gaye, back on July 30^th, 2016 in a statement about a pastoralists’ project from the World Bank: “…livestock…is the single most important asset and the key source of food and income for pastoralists.”

Supplying water for their livestock during severe drought times ~ Photo courtesy of: Tumal Orto

Just about a week ago, I received a note from Tumal. I was super happy to hear from him, but very saddened to see under which circumstances this Indigenous brother had contacted me. As I read him, I could picture his face with the signs of worry and concern, and through his message I was missing that shine and smile that had characterized him when we met. Very little have we heard or read on the Western Hemisphere about the drought and the struggles of the pastoralists, and now about the torrential rains that have impacted the lives of hundreds of families since the end of April and beginning of May and where thousands of livestock have perished washed away by the floods, schools and homes submerged under water, and with very little help to cover the magnitude of this crisis and ensure their survival.

Tumal comes from a family who for generations have been Indigenous Mobile Pastoralists dating back to 1780. As a Pastoralist, he supports a family of six, with three children in College and one in High School. As a father of three daughters, Tumal’s main priority is their Education. Most girls in these communities do not go beyond 8^th grade, and are exposed to Early Marriage and Female Genital Mutilation, which challenge the opportunities for a girl’s education, among other things. As a Father, with the proceeds from the sales of goats, sheep, and camels he has supported the family’s daily living and his children’s education. During the drought between 2016 and 2017, they did everything possible to keep their animals alive. Now these torrential rains have compromised their livelihood and as you can see, even his children’s education is at risk. Earlier this month, Tumal Orto, like many other pastoralists in the area, personally lost 225 Goats/sheep, 2 donkeys and 3 camels, and his total losses equate to approximately $30,000.00 USD. Other pastoralists have lost about 20,000 goats which equate to about $800,000.00 USD. Most of the animals that have survived are weak. About 100 households of Indigenous Mobile Pastoralists have been affected in this area. It is believed that in the next few years the Gabbra Indigenous Peoples are likely to become Climate Refugees.

Pastoralists gracing their livestock - Photo courtesy of: Tumal Orto

This community is not asking for much, but desperately needs assistance. It is their hope to reach out to the hearts of well-wishers, institutions, organizations, and the international community and mechanisms who could help fund a Restocking Program for these 100 households by supplying each household with 50 sheep/goats and 1 loading donkey, for a household total of $2,000.00 and a grand total of $200,000.00 for the village. While these numbers may not represent a significant amount of money for people in developed countries, in this case, it represents way more than goats and a donkey; it is sustenance, a way of life, education, it is a legacy, and literally, their own CULTURAL SURVIVAL!

For more information on how you can help, please contact: Tai Pelli - taipelli21@gmail.com Galdibe Tumal Orto – tumalorto@yahoo.com

Tai Pelli is a Taíno International Advocate on Indigenous, Environmental, Treaty and Human Rights.

Samwel Naikada; a humble pastoralist with a bright vision for his Maasai Peoples

12/18/2012

This year, I had the privilege to participate in Tribal Link Foundation’s Project Access, a Training Program designed to prepare Indigenous Peoples from around the globe, to participate in the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

It was on that first day, that I met Samwel Naikada, a humble Maasai pastoralist from Kenya, Africa, as each of us introduced ourselves to the group. When it was his turn, the tall, slim, 39 year old man, stood up in his traditional Maasai attire and spoke in a soft, yet firm and almost regal fashion about his Maasai people, and the menace of deforestation of the Dupoto Forest. This forest has been the livelihood of the Maasai Peoples for time immemorial.

His desire, he expressed, was to develop and promote Eco-tourism as a mean of survival and preservation. The room was quiet and all eyes were on Samwel. He spoke about his teaching young people about taking pride on who they were. Deep inside, I thought: “How could anyone not take pride on being Maasai, with this brother that speaks so proudly about his people and who has such an impressive ability to communicate and who projects that same pride he speaks of!”

We had learned from the representative of the Ogiek Tribe (also from Kenya), how the Maasai were helping them. To me, this was extremely significant, to know that these people who are having struggles of their own, still find the means to help a fellow tribe!

There were many in the group who had achieved all kinds of high-level education. Humbly, Samwel mentioned how he understood he might have not the knowledge as the others, for he did not possess any formal education, perhaps to the level of those in the group. He expressed his desire, his dream of pursuing a degree in Community Development so that he could effectively help his people and achieve the goals he had set forth. Although I understood what he meant, I could not help it but tell him that he could stand in a room filled with Ph.D’s and address them in the same way he had addressed us, for he spoke from the heart and the message was loud and clear.

In times like the ones we are living, very few people have the passion or aspire to dedicate their lives to develop and preserve their communities the way Samwel does.

This past summer, he was able to enroll at Narok University College, Kilgoris Branch in Kenya, to obtain his degree in Community Development. The cost of his education per year is $1,000.00. His first year has been covered through some donations, one of them by Tribal Link Foundation, but he still needs the additional $3,000.00.

Samwel is married to one wife and has six children. He is a pastoralist depending on livestock and is the first and only one to complete secondary education in the whole village, so far. He plans to invest his acquired knowledge in advocating for the rights of his people, assist youth and women to use available resources and skills so that they can economically improve their living standards. His goal, to link his community with National and International Programs that will assist and build their capacity.

I strongly believe, in my deepest core, there is someone out there or a Foundation that would be willing to cover the $3,000.00 needed to cover the remaining balance of his college tuition, hence, helping Samwel Naikada attain the education he is so much committed to complete to improve the quality of life and sustenance of the Maasai Peoples.

For more information about Samwel Naikada, you may contact me at taimar16@yahoo.com .

Tai Pelli

Central Florida Liaison Officer

United Confederation of Taíno People