ORRA
Just A round the Cor ner A r t Auction
Water project in Kenya 2012
VOSS FOUNDATION
Voss Foundation
The Voss Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing access to clean water
to communities in Sub-Saharan Africa and raising awareness of ongoing need in the region.
The Voss Foundation aims to help fulfill communities’ water requirements and then focus on
the self-improvement of lives and communities once basic water needs are satisfied. We have
a particular interest in assisting women and girls who, relieved of the burden of fetching water,
have time to devote to education and enterprise.
We help meet these demands through an approach that ensures local ownership and longterm sustainability through partnerships with trusted organizations on the ground, use of
appropriate technology, and through systems that assess the multiple water requirements of
a community.
Voss Foundation projects primarily involve a combination of well-digging and -creation or
-rehabilitation, pumping, and piping. Secondary water-related aspects are based on local
requests and range from bringing clean water to schools and infirmaries, to agriculture and
irrigation, to micro-finance and education based on new resources, time, or money made
available by the presence and proximity of clean water. We incorporate both environmental
consideration and the lasting success of the projects into villages’ requirements to create a
comprehensive project that meets diverse water needs.
Founded by VOSS of Norway ASA as an independent 501(c)(3) public charity, the Voss
Foundation has offices in New York and Oslo.
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Milgis Trust
As a result of growing insecurity leading to the poaching of wildlife and over-extraction of declining
natural resources, the Milgis Trust was established in 2004.
Its mission is to sustain the wildlife, habitat and the pastoral peoples’ way of life in northern Kenya.
The Milgis Trust’s core area is located in northern Kenya within the drainage of the Matthews
Range, Ndoto Mountains and Kirisia Hills, spreading further north towards Oldonyo Mara, Mount
Nyiru and Mount Kulal. The Trust’s aim is to cover approximately 8,000 sq kms and supports a
diverse range of flora and fauna and the pastoral livelihoods of several different nomadic tribes
including the Samburu, Turkana and Rendille.
Helen Douglas-Dufresne runs the Trust on ground level. She is a renowned Kenyan conservationist
who has walked the length and breadth of this part of northern Kenya for over two and a half
decades. Along with her partner Pete Ilsley and their loyal Samburu crew they have taken
hundreds of walking camel safaris through this remote and untouched land, learning and
experiencing all it has to offer.
Mama Helen, as she is known by the Samburu, has been welcomed with outstretched arms and
is trusted more than any other in the region having worked hard to create a wonderful rapport
and understanding with the communities, elders and warriors.
Their continued presence on the ground sustains this trusting relationship and encourages and
promotes the successful implementation of projects as well as the Milgis Trust’s ongoing field
operations.
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Voss Foundation & Milgis Trust’s
work together in Kenya
Voss Foundation’s first partner was Milgis Trust, based in the Samburu region of Northern Kenya.
We have been working together since 2008. Voss Foundation has been so impressed with the
quality of Milgis Trust’s work that we continue to collaborate, constructing a total of 9 taps in the
area so far. Through these successfully completed and on-going projects in Samburuland, we
have developed a close working relationship.
Together, we have brought 3 water access points each
to the communities of Latakwen (inaugurated 2009),
Swari (2010), and Ndonyo Nasipa (2011). Approximately
7,000 Samburu lives have been changed with clean water
access provided by our partnership.
The 2011 Just Around the Corner Art Auction secured
at least 3 more years of cooperation, to provide for a
systematic scaling-up based on the model of our previous
successes.
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Just Around the Corner Art Auction
On May 22nd, 2011, the wildly successful Just Around the Corner Art Auction at the Kistefos
Museum outside Oslo, Norway raised USD $750,000 (£ 467,000 or NOK 4,200,000) to improve
the lives of people in Africa with access to clean water by supporting the Voss Foundation and
Milgis Trust.
The event shattered an outrageous number of records. It was the most successful charity art
auction ever to be held in Norway, and marked Sotheby’s first in the country. Kistefos Museum
witnessed unprecedented crowds with over 2,200 attendees. Among the international artists
who achieved record prices were Tony Cragg (NOK 850,000), Marc Quinn (NOK 360,000),
Darren Almond (NOK 150,000), Olav Christopher Jenssen (NOK 290,000), Kjell Erik Killi
Olsen (NOK 160,000), Mikkel McAlinden (NOK 130,000), Bjarne Melgaard (NOK 170,000) and
Candida Höfer (NOK 350,000).
Sotheby’s Vice Chairman, Lord Poltimore auctioned the 52 lots donated by artists, galleries,
and collectors from around the world. Proceeds will go towards water projects in Kenya and
supporting the charitable activities of the Voss Foundation and Milgis Trust.
This triumph is a result of global collaboration between artists, collectors and galleries lasting
over a year, exceeding all of our expectations. By combining our efforts, we found that we
could achieve what was believed to be unattainable. We learned that no challenge – not even
the water crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa, is insurmountable,” said Knut Brundtland, Founder
and President of Voss Foundation. Christen Sveaas, Founder, Board member, and sponsor of
Kistefos Museum, congratulated the Voss Foundation on an outstanding accomplishment to
provide much-needed aid to the people of Africa.
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Orra
The first project funded by the Just Around the Corner Art Auction was meant to be at a remote
site called Nyiroyia. However, tribal unrest in the area at the end of 2011 forced Milgis Trust and
the Voss Foundation to reevaluate the security and effectiveness of building a water system
at that place and time. Ultimately, in early January, it was determined that the conditions were
such that Milgis Trust was unable to work there. Fortunately, Milgis Trust had not gone too far
at Nyiroyia and was able to cease work without great loss. It was agreed that Nyiroyia would
be revisited once the tribal dispute had been settled; in the meantime, it would be prudent to
begin work in the next community that had been selected for a water project.
The partners decided upon Orra, a site west of the Ndoto Mountains, which Voss Foundation’s
President and European Representative had visited in August 2011. Orra has a large community
which is just as desperate for water.
In the photos to the left, you can see the water hole that Orra community has been using for
a source of water.
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This was a true force majeure and, in such a situation, the Voss Foundation was glad to be
working with our oldest and very trusted proven partners, in whom we gave great confidence.
We are lucky that Helen and Pete were able to present a viable solution by immediately
identifying a new project. The plan for Orra echoes our successful projects with Milgis Trust at
Latakwen, Swari, and Ndonyo Nasipa.
“Orra was our next project in line after Nyiroyia, they really deserve to get this incredible
gift... It was [a] huge decision to move, but basically most of the work for these water projects
is ordering, collecting, preparing the materials, then transporting them all up there... So all
we had to do was move it all to Orra, which was a serious feat in itself, but [we] managed!!”
– Helen Douglas-Dufresne, Founder, Milgis Trust
In this map, you can see Orra’s placement amidst previous Voss Foundation water projects
at Latakwen, Swari (partially cut-off at bottom center), and Ndonyo Nasipa, as well as the
postponed site of Nyiroyia.
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Orra is in the foothills of the west side of the Ndoto Mountains with an estimated permanent
population of approximately 1500 people. The community houses a school and hosts
hundreds of nomads, especially in the dry season, who travel up to 20 kilometers or more to
reach this spot. It is also a desired area for elephants since their return to these mountains
in the last few years.
“Orra is the safest gateway to the north of the [Ndoto mountains], and there will be
many travellers [sic.] enjoying the fresh drinking water here…” – Helen Douglas-Dufresne,
Founder, Milgis Trust
Orra has been on the radar for a Milgis Trust Voss Foundation water system for several
years. As early as 2010, Milgis Trust had identified it as a potential project site.
“In June 2010, we passed through Orra on a safari, and the women came to our camp,
and had a meeting with us… Their most important concern was water, and asked us if we
can help… Since this day they have been [asking] us to help them in any possible way
to improve the water situation… We have had several meetings in the area to discuss the
situation…” – Helen Douglas-Dufresne, Founder, Milgis Trust
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The project program and budget will echo that of our previous successful projects with Milgis Trust.
See below the budget for the Nyiroyia water system, most of which will remain the same for the Orra project.
Qty
Item Description
Total Price US$
1 LorentzPS 1800C-SJ5-123028
8
225w 24v PV modules
5680
1 Frame for modules1350
1 Earth Cable120
1 Lighting Cable178
1
Lorentz PV Array Disconnect
320
30
Meters 3 core submersibal Cable
400
1 Water level probe70
40
Meters 6mm DC PV Cable
102
2 Splice Kits150
2 8,000lts. Water Tanks2010
1
GCI pipes and fittings together with tank fittings
4200
1
2000 Meters HDPE 32mm 16 Bar Pipe
5075
1
Water level probe for dry run
100
1
4 stand water outlet point with concrete floor. (To include drinking trough for animals.) 1420
1 Contract Technican700
1
Transport of materials, site transport and visits
9655
1 Labour3300
20Bags Cement220
1
Water ”watchman” for a 5 year period
6000
Sub-total44078
Add 10% contingency4407
VOSS FOUNDATION
Total Project Cost48485
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Work is progressing efficiently!
“The community are working really enthusiastically and hard to dig the trench and the
well, and already a lot is in place… The panels are fixed, the tank in place, and the team
have gone to Nairobi to organise [sic.] the casing for the well, and a different pump from
the Nyiroyia one…” – Helen Douglas-Dufresne, Founder, Milgis Trust
Follow the Voss Foundation on Facebook and Twitter to get updates and reports from the water system at Orra!
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Voss Foundation - Oslo
Milgis Trust
Bygdøy Allé 17
N-0262 Oslo
Norway
tel +47 23 13 16 16
[email protected]
Box 93
Naro Moru 10105
Kenya
tel +254203547431
[email protected]
Cecilie Malm Brundtland
tel +47 93 44 12 59
[email protected]
Anette Krosby
tel +47 95 03 51 50
[email protected]
Voss Foundation - New York
236 W 30th St. 12th FL
New York, NY 10001
USA
tel +1 212 995 2255
[email protected]
www.thevossfoundation.org
VOSS FOUNDATION
www.milgistrustkenya.com