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Trip to see rainwater harvesting activities supported by UNEP and RELMA-in-ICRAF amongst Maasai communities living around Olepolos village in the dry Maasailand on the slopes of the Ngong hills and the plains below. 14 Dec 2005. Read full report (pdf 277 KB)
We were received with joyful singing and warm hugs. A lot of speeches were made. These summarised the accomplishments of each group so far, but were also like testimonies typically heard in churches in Kenya… I am saved, I love the Lord… after which repeated proclamations of gratitude followed… the immense grace of God has resulted in the developments that suddenly reached the area in the form of the project. Everybody claps after each proclamation. To have water in a homestead is a life-changing experience these women couldn't have dreamed of. The women are impressed of themselves as well. Suddenly they have found themselves doing things they have never done before, and find they can learn and be good at what they do. Many of the fundis are women, some of them at the supervisor level.
Cloudy water in a spring kept for drinking water only.
Curing the tank (slowing down drying to avoid cracks), local innovation using a water bottle, the proud owner of the tank
There are conditions that need to be fulfilled before a tank can be built. Groups work together to fulfil these requirements. Before a tank can be built in a homestead the homestead needs to have one hundred holes ready for tree planting; above the holes needs to be a furrow or a pond for run-off water collection during rains.
One needs to construct a firewood saving stove 'jiko la kuni moja' ('stove of one firewood'). This jiko can hold two pots at a time and it has a little hole for the smoke to come out behind the two 'plates'. A chimney, which is not available for the traditional three-stone model can be attached to the smoke hole.
One more requirement is to build a proper long drop toilet. And to make new investments possible, women have started table-banking.
Improved beehives have been introduced to the area.
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Updated April 2006