THE ROTARY TUSKER 2025 PROJECT

I would like to think that we can do something specific and concentrate on one issue in Kenya in 2025.  The last 25 Big Tuskers of East Africa namely Kenya.

We will use this website called to promote and run the project.

I am looking for a name for the updated website!  Need some ideas to flow.

Michael the Magnificent will be the focus and we met Michael in Amboseli in September 2022:

MAGNIFICENT MICHAEL

From the Tsavo Trust.

It seems that Michael roams between Amboseli and Tsavo:

Tsavo Trust Big Tusker Project.

Magnificent Michael, son of Mabel, born in 1991. He was named by a donor to the Tsavo Trust, when he was three years old and that person has been able to follow him for almost 30 years.

My initial idea is to drive it via the Internet and crowd funding or Rotary clubs and Rotary Districts becoming involved.  I will also garner the support of my Rotary mates in Kenya.

Plenty of ideas on how to make it work and here are several videos:

ELEPHANTS IN AMBOSELI by DAVID YARROW

BIG TIM a TRIBUTE

AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK

SUPER TUSKERS of EAST AFRICA

This is the video below that we used in 2014 to promote Wild Life Direct and their hands Off Our Elephants campaign in Ganmain:

ROTARY PROJECT PROMOTION 2015

ACTION PLAN

How we go about it and what we do will be what we need to work out and as always.  We will do what we did before, for the Orphan Rescue Kits, but this time using the Internet to its full power.

The initial step would be to decide on what is needed most to create the awareness for the concept  This will be based on communicating with possible stakeholders in Kenya.

Once we have established where best to target our project, we will need to get Rotary International Districts and Clubs involved.

Work to be done Back to Africa

We are rebuilding this website to start our next project in Kenya.  However we will keep the name as the ORK.

These are early days however it will be for our Tracy and her dream of setting up her Big Sisters’ Project.

Results of the Project

We are all home now and have been so for several months now.  Life moves so quickly and we move on.  However the results of the climb are significant and we have so far raised around $45,000.  We have presented the Legacy Wagga Wagga Branch with a cheque for $12,790.  One of our three projects that we supported through the climb.

The remaining two projects are receiving funds as and when needed.  In the main our sponsorship for the vulnerable and at risk girls from Mathare in Nairobi.  Part of these funds will go towards the Rotary Club of Gigiri in Nairobi for education of the children of Mathare.  A project that we have been with since 2007.

The first photo below is a moment in time in Mathare taken during our last visit in 2015. The team was being shown three of the schools in Mathare.  This photo says so much and it was taken as we walked from one school to another.  The constant stream of children saying “How are you, how are you?” can be felt here.

Also the young girl just out of school with her back pack and wearing the compulsory uniform speaks volumes.  Probably her little sister in the coloureful dress greeting her is happy but poignant.  Next I see one of the problems in that Coca Cola is one of the main causes of diabetes.

Most of all I see tin shacks the children are standing in front of, which are the appalling homes they have to suffer, as can be seen in the photo.

The second photo is of the presentation to Legacy Wagga Wagga.

All in all a great effort from the Rotary Mount Kenya ANZAC Day Team.

Mathare Kids 1

Legacy August 2015 3

The Climb in Photos Days 1-8

It was a lot tougher than we expected and we managed to get 9 of the 12 climbers to the top of Point Lenana at 4,985 metres.  Point Lenana is the 3rd highest peak on Mount Kenya.  We had around 2 feet of snow the night before the climb to Point Lenana.  All in all we spent 6 nights and 7 days on Mount Kenya.

Click on the images for a larger view.

 

ANZAC Day April 25th 2015 on Mount Kenya

The service starts at 34 seconds into the clip, the sound was off! We feel it was one of the highest ANZAC Day Services at 4,200 metres. It was cold and we had just had 2 feet of snow overnight and very windy so we decided not to hold the service at the summit of 4,985 metres.

Tracy’s 200

TRACY’S 200.

Latest news from Kenya and Tracy but first her story!

Tracy Monica Ochieng is a young teenage girl from Mathare in Nairobi.  We first met Tracy at a concert that the boys and girls put on for the Mountains of the Moon Team from Australia.  This was 2011 and Tracy had just completed primary school and gave an amazing speech of welcome to our team.  Tracy and many others were sponsored by the Orphan Rescue Kits that were raised by PDG Fred Loneragan in his year as District Governor for District 9700.

Mathare Tracy Speaks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tracy Monica above gives her inspirational speech

Here is a copy of her hand written notes:

Mathare Speech

The Mountains of the Moon team included Past District Governor Fred Loneragan and we decided to sponsor Tracy to secondary school.  So in 2012 Tracy was accepted by the Bishop Okoth’s Secondary School for Girls in Kisumu.  Kisumu is on the shores of Lake Victoria and a long way from her home in Nairobi.

Tracy has graduated with high marks from High School and we are now sponsoring Tracy into the United States International University.  Tracy will graduate in another two years with her Bachelor of Journalism Degree.  Then Tracy aims to go back to Mathare to start her Foundation; Tracy’s 200.

Tracy 3rd temr Report 2013

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below: Tracy before classes recently:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In March 2019 Tracy came to Australia as a key note speaker to our Rotary District Conference. This amazing young lady wowed here audience. It was inspirational and this was and event not to be missed.

The Rock Challenge a Kenyan Perspective

This from a good Kenyan supporter of ours Kip Langat:

“I saw this and wondered…..how thoughtful and supportive some people are…. they are from rural and remote regions of Australia but thinking about others in a far away land like Kenya….. (Education for Kenyan Children’s projects)

The 7 of the climbers who will be heading to Kenya next month (April) for the Rotary Mount Kenya 2015 Climb with the other Rotarians and a behind the scene support from Kenyans in their community…. As part of the mazoezi, they climb The Rock (The Rock Nature Reserve, NSW 2655) (see the pic). Before the climb, they had Uji+Chai na mandazi then they came down for Nbuzi choma and plenty more…”

 

Point Lenana

Point Lenana

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Point Lenana after a snow storm this is where we will be on ANZAC Day 2015

 

Mount Kenya Here we Come!

We are now moving closer to our goal of April 2015!  We have been in touch with the Department of Veteran’s Affairs in Canberra and thy have no problems with our logo and the use of the words in our banner.  I will now crank up our Facebook page and invite people to join us there.

 

Mount Kenya Cloth Banner

Mount Kenya 1960

This is an old photograph of Mount Kenya showing a route to Point Lenana taken from the Teleki Valley.

Mount Kenya The Route

WELCOME

Welcome to our Mount Kenya 2015 Project.Please feel free to contact me via email for information on our next project in Kenya.:

[email protected]

OR:  John Glassford on 0498 190 880

If you prefer snail mail:

22 Moore Street, GANMAIN,  NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA 2702.

1. Legacy Australia

Legacy

 

 

 

 

2.  Rotary Education Projects in Kenya

3. HIV/AIDS Clinic in South Africa.

Please take your time to look at our web site and we are asking you to join us by sponsoring our climb via the donate button on our page.

THANK YOU!

Mount Kenya Cloth Banner