Bringing Water to the Maasai of Tanzania
A detailed timeline of my efforts to bring clean water access to the Maasai community through fundraising, deploying rainwater harvesting units, and leveraging satellite technology for sustainable solutions.
First Fundraising Effort
Raised $20K through phone calls, emails, and outreach for the first rainwater harvesting unit.
Dec 2020First Visit to Tanzania
Visited the site for the first rainwater harvesting unit and walked with Joseph, a local Maasai tribesman, to understand the community's challenges firsthand.
Dec 2021Second Round of Fundraising
Launched another round of fundraising, raising $27K and engaging more families to join the effort.
Jun 2022Surveying the Maasai Community
Brought six students to Losimingori to survey the Maasai community and assess the impact of the rainwater harvesting unit.
Dec 2022Deployment of Three More Units
Deployed three additional rainwater harvesting units, further expanding the reach of the project.
Feb 2023Speech in Arusha
Spoke in front of 600+ international delegates at a conference in Arusha, discussing the project’s impact on the Maasai community.
Apr 2023Impact Summary
Summarized the impact of the deployed units and began sharing the results more broadly to gain further support.
June 2023Involving Middle Schoolers
Engaged middle school students in fundraising efforts to expand the reach of the project.
Oct 2023Fundraising Dinner with Mbayani in California
Hosted a fundraising dinner with Mbayani, a Maasai leader, in California to raise funds for the 100 rainwater harvesting units.
Nov 2023Remote Sensing Studies
Studied remote sensing, satellite imaging, and related technologies to enhance project outcomes.
Dec 2023 / Sep 2024Melvin Jones Humanitarian Award
Received the Melvin Jones Humanitarian Award for the project’s impact on the Maasai community.
Mar 2024Deployment of 10 Tanks
Deployed 10 more 5000-liter tanks, expanding the program to involve more families and students.
Jun 2024Third Fundraising Round
Raised $40K in the third round of fundraising through multiple pitches to families and supporters.
Aug 2024Presidential Volunteer Service Award
Received the Presidential Volunteer Service Award for the project’s impact on the Maasai community.
Sep 2024Deployment Plan for 100 Units
Started the project to deploy 100 rainwater units in zones identified through satellite image maps.
Sep/Oct 2024Community Meeting with Deepak Ramola
Organized a dinner with 40 people in the Bay Area to discuss the work and future goals for the project.
Nov 2023Completion of 100 Unit Deployment
Successfully completed the deployment of 100 rainwater units, providing sustainable water access to the Maasai community.
Nov 2024Presentation to NeurIPS
Presented the project at NeurIPS, a leading AI conference, to discuss the use of AI in water access projects.
Dec 2024