Water for Independence
In sub-Saharan Africa, 71%of households place the responsibility of water collection on women and girls, who each day spend a combined 16 million hours traveling to collect water. In addition, practices like child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM) can also stunt a girl’s ability to achieve her full potential; girls’ education is often seen as less valuable than boys’, especially in situations requiring rationing of resources.
The burden on the girls of Kajiado County is no different; time spent gathering water prevents them from regularly attending school. This limits the girls options for the future, which leaves them vulnerable to forced early marriage by the tribal elders along with forced FGM, which despite being illegal is all too common.
Although they manifest differently, women and girls in developed nations struggle with many of the same issues of gender inequity and being unable to express their full potential. We intend to create a cross-cultural mentoring program with the hope that having girls work together to identify areas of hope, strength, collaboration, and improvement will help create opportunities to use our similarities to stand in solidarity with one another.
- Women make up more than two-thirds of the world's 796 million illiterate people
- More than one in four women aged 20 to 24 in developing countries are married before they turn 18
- More than 125 million girls and women today have been subjected to female genital mutilation across countries in Africa and the Middle East
- Less than 20% of the world’s landholders are women
- Every additional year of primary school increases girls' eventual wages by 10-20%
- In most countries, women with full-time jobs earn between 70-90% of what men earn
Our Project(s):
Tirrim: Pillar of Hope - Partnership
In December 2018, we partnered with Tirrim: Pillar of Hope, a non-profit organization in Marsabit County. Tirrim empowers the nomadic communities of Samburu and Rendille in Loiyangalani and Mt. Kulal areas of Arapal, Olturot, Civicon, and Gatab. Our focus is to support childrens’ education from primary school, high school through college and empower their parents, particularly women, economically. Tirrim’s objectives are to discourage retrogressive cultural practices and to promote education, economic interest and the general welfare of its community members in accordance with agreed principles, values and more.
In February 2019, IndiMark donated to Loiyangalani Primary School supplies (books, stationeries), girls’ feminine products and undergarments and sports equipment (soccer and basketballs). Mr. Jacob Naikele, the Headmaster (Principal) as well as the founder of Tirrim, distributed the donations to the scholars.
In July 2019, IndiMark started the donation programs of computers that were uploaded with Kenyan Secondary School Curriculum . More computers will be donated in the upcoming weeks.
Days for Girls - Ambassadors of Women’s Health
In July 2019, IndiMark partnered with Days for Girls - Ambassadors of Women’s Health. Dozens of Days for Girls kits were donated by their representative Nancy Jarvis to be sent to Loiyangalani Primary School.
Elatia (Neighbor) Community Centers
The Elatia Community Centers will be located adjacent to the new water wells as places for the community to gather informally or to participate in various community programs. The Elatia Community Centers will also offer youth mentorship and provide resources for educational success and social improvement, as well as a place for collaborative projects with communities in Wisconsin.
Community Water Wells
Indimark is sponsoring three community well projects on land already donated. These projects includes drilling the wells, pumps to bring water to the surface into reservoirs and purification and decontamination systems.