CONSERVATION
THE SAMBURU TRUST
Ol Malo partners with the Samburu Trust, founded by Julia Francombe in 2000, to protect and secure the future of the Samburu people and their land through education, conservation, healthcare, water supply, women’s opportunities, and eco-tourism. Because of this deep and long-standing relationship, guests of the ranch are invited to visit the neighboring villages and manyattas (homesteads) for intimate and personal encounters not often experienced by outsiders.
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@SAMBURUTRUST
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GUEST IMMERSION ACTIVITIES
THE SAMBURU LIFE
Partaking in traditional dances at sunset with the warriors
Drinking chai inside a homestead while learning about their way of life
Beading alongside Samburu Mamas at the on-site Beading Workshop
Visiting local markets and villages for an authentic look at Samburu life
Samburu Trust Ongoing Projects
PRESERVING KENYA FOR THE NEXT GENERATION
Elephant and Animal Rescue
For more than 20 years on the ground The Samburu Trust has funded helicopter flights to dart and treat injured elephants, rescued and rehabilitated orphan animals, and worked with local government branches and Samburu communities to maintain safe passage for the North’s wild animals – all with guidance from the tribe’s elders and in partnership with Kenya Wildlife Services.
Elephant and Animal Rescue
Pastoral Schooling
The Samburu Trust provides free education for more than one hundred children on Ol Malo’s grounds. The Trust built a school in 2003 and customized the education plan that has since grown into a model of learning for pastoralist children in northern Kenya.
Pastoral Schooling
TRUST BURNS ROOM
The Trust regularly provides lifesaving treatment for burns and medical emergencies at no cost. The Trust Burns Room at Ol Malo frequently provides basic first aid and medevac flight transportation when needed.
TRUST BURNS ROOM
Access to Water
Sparked by increased and longer droughts in recent years, the Trust has created a network of clean water reservoirs along human and animal migratory routes. The reservoirs provide clean water from which people, livestock and wildlife can safely drink.
Access to Water
Mamas Beading Workshop
Uplifting the women in the tribe in turn elevates the entire community. The Trust provides a safe workshop space, beads and designs to 90+ Samburu Mamas to sell abroad. This program gives women an independent source of income to live a life of their choosing.
Mamas Beading Workshop
HEALTHCARE ADVANCEMENT
The Trust has successfully eradicated the blinding eye disease Trachoma from neighboring Samburu communities over a decade through mobile surgical camps, simple hand washing initiatives, and successful partnerships with medical professionals. This model works within cultural boundaries and is being expanded into the North to protect thousands of nomadic people from this life-altering disease.
HEALTHCARE ADVANCEMENT
OL MALO’S PLEDGE
OL MALO’S PLEDGE
As a family deeply rooted in Kenya, we stand by the people and wildlife of this land and are invested in their future. We support our partner, The Samburu Trust, by providing physical spaces such as two schools, the Trust Burns Room, the Mamaʼs Beading Workshop, and our Trust Gift Shop to sell their beaded products. We also give our time and expertise for free for assistance on wildlife conflict, medical care, and building water reservoir systems to support the entire ecosystem.
SUPPORT THE TRUST
SUPPORT THE TRUST
We do everything we can provide these gifts in kind, but in reality the Samburu Trust depends on donations from guests like you to continue its projects. We offer you the opportunity to partner with the Samburu people, to educate their children for generations to come, and to protect this ancient land and wildlife. We hope you will choose to make your own contribution to this important work by choosing to donate when booking your stay or during your visit to Ol Malo.
