The woodland ways bushcraft foundation is a charity that aims to use the skills, history and story of bushcraft to provide tribal peoples around the globe with assistance where required or requested.

This assistance is sometimes finanical, is sometimes opening up access to opportunities, and is sometimes developing new business opportunities. With the ultimate objectives being simple, we look to improve the quality of life of those individuals and communities that benefit from a lift up to allow themselves to overcome issues of poverty. The preservation of ancient skills is very important to us here at the woodland ways bushcraft foundation and projects are looked upon favourably if they have an element of preservation of culture, tradition and skills.

Based within the United Kingdom our reach is Global, with current key projects being undertaken within the Maasai community in Kenya.

It is a pre-requisite for all projects that we support that it must be individually or community led by those affected, not led by the charity. Access to our services is for the benefit solely of those communities who want to lead themselves, we supply the means, knowhow and project management. All the money raised goes directly to the causes we work with. Not a penny is wasted.

We are guided by strong ethics to ensure there is no personal financial gain from any of the team.

Jason Ingamells funds many projects from his personal income, and provides an infrastructure and team free of charge to the various projects through his commercial businesses.

Sandra Higgins provides free of charge all of the associated accounting and legal paperwork required by UK law for Charities. A mine of help and assistance we could not cope without her.

This website was designed and hosted for free by Sam Longhurst.

The creation of the charity came about following a number of overseas expeditions lead by founder Jason Ingamells where the profits were then donated to a local Maasai community in Kenya. We began the process of securing land for the maasai in order to build a school, this then led into further projects including the actual build of a school, funding education etc and it has grown from there. As this relationship developed Jason identified that he could use his influence to help. As more and more interest developed back in the UK we saw interest from the Royal Geographical Society in London and from publications such as GLASS Magazine and Bushcraft & Survival Skills Magazine.

It was decided that the project needed to be formalised into a specific charity, with official recognition in the UK and so the Woodland Ways Bushcraft Foundation was formed. Initially supported by funding from Woodland Ways Ltd commercial adventures the charity has now grown to taking on further projects funded by kind hearted individuals. To see how you can help then please see out projects page

Project – The Maasai Ladies Story

In 2016 we are launching an ambitious project to bring over 3 Maasai Ladies to the UK in May, all with 3 very different stories. It is our aim to allow these ladies a platform to tell their story. One lady is Anne, who has visited the UK before and is integral to our learning and the assistance of the other ladies. Anne lives in a corrugated house on the edges of a Maasai township in Kenya. Jerusa is an elder of the Maasai community, in her 50’s and has helped us with communicating with the ladies of the village we support. She is a highly respected community elder, living a traditional life and is renowned for her beading work. Jerusa has never left her own country and is overjoyed at the possibility of travelling to the UK. Agnes is a 21 year old maasai teacher. She lives within the village community we support, in a traditional house, and wants to inspire her school children about what is possible in life. Agnes has never left Kenya before also.  Our intention is to raise funds for their flights, and then funds to provide schooling for Anne and Jerusas children. For Agnes we are looking to fund teacher training to support the village school with her lessons. We need £4k to make this happen. We have already instigated the acquisition of Birth Certificates and now Passports for the two ladies who have never travelled. We are now working on Visa’s for all three. If you can donate any amount, from £1, to £5 to £10, to £50 or more your help would mean a life changing experience for these ladies. You will be able to visit them at the Bushcraft Show 2016 (who have made a sizeable contribution to our fund) and at other venues across the country. If you donate £2000 we may even give you a private audience! Please help…

You can donate to this project here

or Visit our Crowd Funding Site!

 

Project Maasai School

This is where the journey began. In 2011 & 12 we were able to provide assistance to a remote Maasai village in Kenya to realise there dream of securing land to build a school for the smaller children of the village. Since those early times we were able to help finance 50% of the building of an initial school with two classrooms. We have since raised funds for a further classroom in the school, and an external covered area where the children can learn protected from the heat of the midday sun. Teachers salaries are being assisted with current donations and in 2014 we are looking to ease the burden of school fees for villagers in the area

You can donate to this project here

 

Project Oloip Maasai Dance Troop

In order to reach local communities in Kenya the charity assisted the Oloip Maasai Dance Troop to form and give an infrastructure. Consisting of a group of friends and family, all of whom were unemployed at the time, they got together to form a dance troop to help educated within the maasai community on traditional music, dance and culture. The charity funded the production of a website and secured local funding for performances through trips operated by Woodland Ways Ltd. In 2012 and 2013 the charity funded with sponsorship and donations from The Bushcraft Show, Woodland Ways Ltd and public donations a visit to the United Kingdom to perform at a number of venues around the country. During this time the dance troop were able to raise funds for their own troop and back for the village we support

You can donate to this project here  

 

Project Supporting Education

In 2013 the charity began the financial support of ALPHA, a young maasai and son of Sylvia from the Oloip Maasai Dance Troop. The charity now funds ALPHA’s annual education fees and associated equipment in order to get this young boy access to an education he would otherwise not have recieved.

You can donate to this project here  

In 2014 and 2015 we are looking to raise funds for each family within the Maasai village to fund or part fund their childrens education. For just £25 per month you can support a child through a school programme which would do so much to help ease the financial burden for the family. If you can give more then wonderful as it will help provide food and security, but even if you can £10 per month then we will ensure donations are clubbed together to provide a family with assistance. You will be provided with updates and photo’s from the family, but not only this, should you decide you wish to we can arrange an ACTUAL visit to those people that you are helping to support.