Oliveseed Foundation

05/09/2026

We launched the Ololchura Primary School Library in Emarti, Maasai Mara, on March 26th. The morning after opening, we paid a visit to see how it's doing and were happy to find it already a beehive of activity! More books and furniture are coming, but it's already beautiful and a busy learning place. This is Teacher Susan Muigai telling us about the students and her hopes about "catching up with the whole world." 🌹

05/05/2026

A happy memory with Barb and Larbi at the last Marrakech English Book Festival popped up today! We hope to attend the next one too, in January 2027, to once again honor the young writers in our MLP Short Story Competition. MEBF is a great festival every other year in Marrakech that celebrates literature in English by Moroccan authors or on Moroccan themes and stories. Our 4th Short Story Competition is finished, and we hope to publish an anthology by autumn.

Le Marrakech English Book Festival tiendra sa prochaine édition du 15 au 17 janvier 2027 à Marrakech. Cette nouvelle édition sera marquée par le 20e anniversaire du Prix international de la fiction arabe, connu sous le nom d’IPAF. Elle réunira des auteurs marocains et internationaux autour de...

04/02/2026

We have successfully concluded a 10-day mission in Kenya with Neighbors Abroad of Palo Alto and Oliveseed Foundation, marking a historic milestone as Palo Alto adopted Narok as its first African Friendship City.

Following last year’s visit by Governor Patrick Ntutu to Palo Alto, this mission was purposely planned to strengthened collaboration between our two cities. We are deeply grateful to the Government of Narok and the Maa community for their warm hospitality.

Narok stands as both a rapidly growing urban center and a vital cultural and ecological stronghold, supporting indigenous livelihoods and safeguarding one of southern Kenya’s most important ecosystems.

We remain committed to advancing Neighbors Abroad’s vision in Narok by deepening partnerships with grassroots institutions including the Masai Mara Wildlife Conservancies Association and other regional stakeholders who are working tirelessly to preserve the environment, promote education and foster the spirit of sustainability.

04/01/2026

As a young learner, imagine holding a beautiful book in your hands with a story in it that you wrote! That is the power of writing and sharing our thoughts and imagination with the world. We're excited to say that we're soon publishing our 4th Morocco Short Story Anthology. Hear a few words from Larbi, Barbs, Alice, and Philip on how we do our youth story program, how it supports our mission, the important theme from young writers this time around, and what else is soon to come! 🇲🇦 📚🌿

03/08/2026

Today on International Women’s Day, we celebrate the extraordinary women whose strength, dedication and vision continue to transform our community.

We are proud to honor Helen Nchoko, our Women’s Program Manager at the Oliveseed Center; Kitanko our dedicated Production Team Leader; Liz Martin who's capacitating our women with sewing skills and Barb Mackraz our President and the visionary behind the Foundation. Their leadership, passion, and commitment have created opportunities for hundreds of women who are the heart of our empowerment programs.

We also celebrate the many women who are beneficiaries of our initiatives; women who are learning new skills, building sustainable livelihoods and strengthening their families and communities through courage and determination.

We extend our deepest gratitude to our partners and supporters whose generosity continues to make this work possible. Through skills training, entrepreneurship and income-generating opportunities, together we are helping women find their voice, unlock their potential, and shape a brighter future.

We remain proud of our incredible team and inspired by the journey ahead; empowering more women, uplifting more families and creating lasting impact.

Happy International Women’s Day. 🌍💜

03/07/2026

Barb is at our Women's Work Center in the Mara all month, and we have a special guest here this time, Liz Martin. Liz is an amazing seamstress from California and is working with the women on expanding sewing operations with new products and ideas. Our goal is for the Women's Center to become a sustainable enterprise, and one way to achieve that is to create beautiful products to sell through safari camps, businesses, and who knows maybe one day online. Thank you Liz!! 🌹

02/16/2026

Hi everyone, from Barbs. I'm coming to the Mara soon, and we have a very special library project going on at Ololchura Primary School. In addition to the curriculum and pleasure-reading books we usually provide for libraries, this time we're also creating a Children's Corner. This library will have a nice connection to Palo Alto, California, as people here have been coming together to give beautiful children's books to start the Corner! The 40 gorgeous children's books shown here are from the members of the Kiwanis Club of Palo Alto, for the youngest ones in Ololchura. This project is not only about literacy and the joy of reading, but also about building bridges of Friendship across the world. I can't wait to see you all soon! ❤ 🌎 🌍

02/16/2026

At our Women's Work Center in Emarti, Maasai Mara, we're happy to say that the women have just finished the latest order of 400 sanitary kits to help girls stay in school. These will be distributed to girls at five schools, along with health and hygiene information. We so appreciate these talented women, the beautiful work they do, and their passion for boosting the region's daughters! And sincere thanks to the members of the Palo Alto Rotary Club in California who helped us finance this project! 🌼🌷🪻

01/24/2026

On this International Day of Education, we stand with Maya Angelou 100%. Education is the fire that lights minds, young and old, with effects that are amplified across every generation. That is our core value at Oliveseed.

“I believe that education, and only education is the key which can open the dungeon of ignorance and allow our youth to share in the glory of a life lived joyously.” ~ Maya Angelou

“I believe that education, and only education is the key which can open the dungeon of ignorance and allow our youth to share in the glory of a life lived joyously.” - MayaAngelou

Today, on International Day of Education, we celebrate education as a fundamental human right and a powerful pathway to peace, dignity, and possibility for every child and every community. With millions of young people still out of school worldwide, this day serves as both a reminder and a call to action: education must be inclusive, equitable, and accessible for all.

Dr. Maya Angelou understood this deeply. Her work reminds us that education is not just about information; it is about liberation, empathy, and the courage to rise.

In her iconic poem "Still I Rise," Dr. Angelou demonstrates how knowledge and self-understanding empower us to transcend adversity. And through her timeless guidance, “When you learn, teach. When you get, give,” she offers a blueprint for how education becomes a collective act of uplift and responsibility.

As we honor this global day, may we recommit to ensuring that every learner, regardless of background, geography, or circumstance, has the opportunity to rise, to imagine, and to shape a future worthy of their brilliance.

12/24/2025

Merry Christmas from all of us at Oliveseed Foundation

As we close the year, we were blessed to share a triple Christmas gift with our program beneficiaries. We spent the day with 17 Maasai families in Emarti–Kasoe, Sekenani Mara, where we shared a hot meal, presented each woman with a specially selected shukas, and provided food packages for Christmas to be shared with their families.

This gesture was our way of saying thank you for the incredible support you have given us throughout the year. We are deeply grateful for your generosity toward our programs in literacy, empowerment, water access, and environmental stewardship.

Sharing a meal is not only culturally meaningful but it also reflects the warmth, joy and compassion we all hope to see in our world.

Merry Christmas once again & sincere thanks to Barb Mackraz for her facilitation, amd to Amos Kipeen and Helen Nchoko for delivering this special commitment with love and dedication. 🎄✨