Maji the Elephant for KDEF

Island House Needlepoint is thrilled to share our latest exclusive limited-edition canvas: MAJI for KDEF!

It is our hopes that Maji the needlepoint elephant will raise funds that enable the Kenya Drylands Education Fund (KDEF) (www.KDEF.org) to purchase equipment and infrastructure needed for drilling wells (or boreholes as they are called in Africa) that provide critically needed clean and sustainable water (Maji in Swahili) to the drylands of northern Kenya.  For each MAJI canvas sold Island House will be donating $55.00 directly to KDEF.  In addition it is our hope that we can generate awareness of KDEF’s mission, and that the greater community might donate directly to support our water infrastructure goals (https://kdef.networkforgood.com/projects/79946-general-support).

The needlepoint design by artist Brooke McGowan features a majestic elephant, symbolizing the strength and grace of the communities that KDEF supports. The project’s inception was inspired by an October 2024 visit to Kenya by JoAnn and John Gardella, who were deeply moved by the resilience of the people they met. “During our time in Kenya, we witnessed firsthand how climate change is ravaging the lives of the people in the Drylands,” JoAnn explains. “The once-sustainable lifestyle of these families, most of whom are nomadic herders, has been deeply impacted by increasingly erratic weather patterns and severe droughts. Providing access to clean water is a critical step toward ensuring that children can garner a basic education and families can thrive. The ‘Maji for KDEF’ canvas is our way of sharing this mission with the broader community and generating support to make a tangible difference.”