Securing water is skilled and committed work in Maasailand, and typically undertaken by women.

MERC prioritizes the urgent need for water in Maasailand, the result of water mining, deforestation and agricultural pollution in the north, and the appropriation of water land for parks and game reserves. Procuring water under these conditions requires knowledge, experience and physical strength. It is the primary responsibility of Maasai women, and therefore MERC’s approach to designing water projects follows the lead of women who know the terrain.

In collaboration with Rotary International, MERC has completed three large scale water projects and is nearing completion of a fourth. MERC operates through a ‘cluster model’ through which local community groups design the plan for a water project, especially where distribution points will be located, how to navigate seasonal wildlife migrations, and how the project will be sustained financially.

Eyorr Emayian, 2016.