The latest arrival in Enkoireroi - a 21,000 litre tank

The latest arrival in Nkuyan, a 20,000-litre tank to collect water during the rainy season. Maasai women, known as Maasai Women Empowerment, built it using bricks made of compressed earth (more about the technique here). Many hours will be saved by not having to fetch water from sources several miles away, plus the quality of the water will be much better. Another tank was recently completed at the Silan safe house.

Twenty-eight-year-old Agnes says money earned participating in Maasai Women Empowerment that helps with expenses for her eight children – school fees, clothes, food, etc. Having faced water shortages all her life, she decided to join the project to alleviate this issue, despite her husband trying to convince her not to so his favorite wife could replace her. She didn’t give in.

Agnes

Elizabeth’s Presentation for World Water Week

Elizabeth Lesale

I am Elizabeth Ntukai Lesale, born 25 years ago in the southern rift valley in Kenya in a small village called Eremit. If you have trouble remembering my name, just call me Maasai Women Empowerment. 

There are many lofty quotes about “building blocks of society.” Below is a real one. This handmade brick is changing lives. How? Let me explain.

During our dry season people and animals have to go long distances to a water source. It falls on Maasai women to spend 5-8 hours a day collecting water – not to mention finding firewood, bear children, build the house and prepare food.

I kept asking myself, How can I change this? Well, together with other women we are making the impossible possible.

This little brick is key to making this happen.

Since Maasai women traditionally do not own herds, we have little voice in the community. But if we run small businesses and have income, our standing changes dramatically.

Tanks are needed to capture the heavy rains that usually happen in our region in March, April and May. There is much less rain during the rest of the year and normally none December through February. That is when the long walks to fetch water take over our lives. There are other repercussions. Livestock are obliged to move closer to any available water; this, in turn, leads to over–grazing in areas with a radius of about 10km. Granted, five catchment dams were built in the 1980s, but stored water in these lasts only three or four months.

Building with compressed earth is an old concept that has received renewed interest. This actually has a more important sounding name than “little brick”. It’s Interlocking Stabilised Soil Blocks or ISSBs. I like “little brick” better, but let's be technically correct.

Once a site for a water tank has been selected, soil is dug from the foundation area and nearby. The sieved, clay-ey soil is then mixed with a small amount of cement and manually pressed into a form. Note that electricity is not needed. Upon removal from the press, each block is checked for texture and quality before being stacked to dry. After 14 days, the bricks are fully cured with no need for firewood, thereby not contributing to deforestation nor resulting mud-slides. No extensive training in masonry is needed. The press is highly portable.

We received a grant to start this initiative from an NGO by the name of – you guessed it – MANDO, short for Matonyok Nomads Development Organization. Matonyok is a Maasai word meaning working together for success.

Maasai women making bricks

The grant covered initial training and equipment necessary to make the interlocking bricks. Curved ISSBs are used to construct water tanks and pit latrines. Formed with a sort of latch, they reduce the need for mortar while increasing strength. Once a tank is built, a sealant is applied to the inside of the tank for waterproofing. The density and strength of these blocks are comparable to concrete blocks, but they weigh half as much.

We already have three public tanks funded and under construction. Fourteen families are applying for tanks. Within a year our goal is to sell 40 tanks to families in the area and build 5-10 tanks at public locations like schools, markets and health centers. Within a year of being fully operational we expect to impact 5000 people.

Of course I couldn't do this alone.

I mobilized my community – mothers, girls, elders and moran who are young warriors. On market days I would look for women who might participate. First there were just six women. That grew to 12. We started by sharing cups, utensils and tools for agriculture and bead making. Three years ago 37 of us formed the very first group to the address the water challenges in my community. Thus, Maji Mama was born in Eremit. I was chosen as secretary because of how far I had gone in school. I am the only woman who can read and write in English, Swahili, and Maasai.

We empower ourselves by selling bricks, tanks and latrines. Women can access loans to pay for a tank for their own for their homes. For many of these women this is their first-ever loan. With the tank they can see an increase to their families' well being and a decrease in their work collecting water.

By becoming self employed, women gain standing in the community. If we own a business, men listen to what we have to say. Having our own money means we can make changes we want in our homes and community.

I must emphasize, employment is critical at this time. Because of long droughts, many Maasai have lost the bulk of their herds. To generate income they have resorted to charcoal burning, which is illegal, dangerous and causes deforestation. Employment making bricks is safe, better paying and good for the environment.

By the way, our business model has four products that create revenue for us women shareholders – fully constructed 10,000-liter tanks for approximately 50,000KES – that's 430 euros or 500 US Dollars – or 20,000-liter tanks for double that. Thirdly, fully constructed pit latrines for approximately 50,000KES. We also sell individual bricks to build houses.

Women shareholders of Maasai Women Empowerment earn revenue in two ways. First, the cost of labor to build tanks or latrines is factored directly into the cost. Also a 10% margin is factored in which is distributed to shareholders. Some of this margin also goes into a contingency and repair fund.

With the help of both the local and international NGOs that provided our initial grant, we have established a number of indicators to evaluate success. In the area of business development, we are instigating standard operating procedures for contracts, labor, quality control and marketing that can be used as a model for other women wanting to start a business like this. In the area of sales, the goal is 50 contracts for tanks at households, schools and churches by the end of the year. We currently have 15 prospective contracts we are working on. We are also connecting community members who cannot afford the full cost of a water tank with microloans. We are beginning to speak to farmers about rain tanks for irrigation.

There are two main risks we face. First, it's rain and climate change. While rains usually bring a lot of water in the spring, that usually lasts only a month. The past four years of drought would have made it difficult to get water to make ISSBs. This year, however, Kenya has been experiencing floods. Not only have hundreds of people perished, the floods washed out roads and bridges, making transportation difficult and slowing the startup of our initiative.

The second risk is land titles. Historically, Maasai land has been communal. Now that the Kenyan government is forcing us to settle, some of our land remains communal, but part of it has been divided into plots. This has caused a lot of confusion. On top of this, the cost for title transfers is so high, many of the titles are in the name of only one or two families. We need to make sure that land titles are clear and provide support for those who need titles cleared.

I want every girl in Kenya to be a woman with a dream. Together, we 37 maasai women are setting the pace. Not only do our tanks provide access to water, they create employment and help the environment. With more water security, there is more time to work on ways to improve our economic situation, improve nutrition and address climate challenges. This is our building block for society.

Children's clothing in Nkuyan

MANDO worked with the NCi Foundations, a UK-based charity which distributes children's clothes, books, shoes and toys, to receive an initial delivery of much-needed baby clothes for families in Nkuyan village. This is one of the most remote communities in MANDO's area. When temperatures drop, children here suffer since they often have only a piece of cloth to wrap around them. They get sick frequently.

520 school lunches now provided daily

Thanks to private donations solicited by MANDO, 520 pupils have lunches at Enkoireroi Primary School (Eremit community in Kajiado county, Kenya). Because some of the children walk up to 10 miles to school, many would drop out without something to get them through the day.

Benefits were almost immediately discernable: Increased school attendance, more energy and focus in the afternoon, better overall health and increased enrollment at the school.

Thanks to David Van't Hof of Portland, Oregon USA, donations have made possible two school years of lunches.

Donations are needed to make the program ongoing as well as to expand to two more schools - Nkuyan and Eremit primary schools which have 350 and 650 children respectively. Cost would be $3315 and $5685.

MANDO's sister nonprofit organization in the United States, Investments for Developing Communities (IDC), takes in and forwards donations.

The Maasai community whose children go to the school guard stored food, pay a parent a small fee to cook the food and supply water and fuel.

Announcing solar micro-grids

Partnering with international agencies, MANDO has brought solar micro-grids that produce electricity to its constituent communities.

Involved from the initial survey in January 2014 to appraise the need and prospects for the grids, MANDO liaised with community members ranging from pastors, chiefs, sub-chiefs, county officials and potential users to advance the projects. On the basis of survey findings Eremit, Entasopia and Olturoto were selected in the summer as demonstration sites. Residents and businesses were briefed on use, fees to be expected, connection costs and responsibility for ongoing maintenance. Permits from government authorities and consent to locate the units had to be obtained.

In early December MANDO's three communities as well as seven others in five counties, had systems installed and operating, possible due to cooperation with Green Empowerment, Access:Energy and Powergen. Each customer has his own power monitor at the hub along with security measures such as circuit breakers and fire extinguishers. Customers are shown tariffs based on use of power, then can begin to buy power paying via Mpesa. Training was provided on how to do this and check payment balances.

The size of the power generation unit (solar photovoltaic cells) can be matched to the size of the demand. These grids can be expanded as use increases.
 
MANDO and Green Empowerment will continue to research and coordinate development activities for these communities. For example, they sought backing of a U.S. investor involved with micro-grid systems to extend use of the Olturoto micro-grid to provide electricity to the school (upper left picture). Installation is nearly complete. Not only will this project enhance educational opportunities for 350 students currently enrolled, but likely will draw back students being sent to boarding school due to the lack of electricity at the local school. It is a testing ground to see how micro-grids can further serve communities where they are located. Another benefit from the micro-grids is reducing kerosene use and subsequent respiratory and eye infections as well as pollutants emitted.

Yet another direction to pursue is micro-grid battery charging. Batteries owned by a local entrepreneur and charged at the central system would be rented to individual manyattas unable to connect to the community micro-grid. The batteries would power several lights, charge cell phones and power small radios for an estimated two weeks. Depending on individual household needs, additional power can be added.

Maasai cook story!

A Maasai cook Nemayian goes to great lengths to give children in her community a good start in life

Nemayian salau is amazing! She cooks and serves Mando’s Meals this week for the children at Enkoireroi school in Kajiado county, Kenya.

Life is tough for Nemayian. As a mum-of-three, she struggles to scrape together a living in the harsh and unforgiving semi-arids lands of Kajiado. Yet despite her own hardships, Nemayian like many other parents at the Enkoireroi school community gives her time freely so that young children – like her three-year-old son Lekishon – can enjoy nutritious daily meals in a place of education.

“I hope that my children finish their education and get jobs,” she says. “I want them to be independent and live a different life from mine.”

Like many women in Kajiado, Nemayian wears colorful beads around her neck. She is from a traditional cattle-herding community, which depends on its animals for survival. This way of life has never been easy – now, drought brought on by consecutive years of poor rainfall is making it even harder for families to get by.

In these uncertain times, Mando’s Meals offers a welcome safety net for mothers like Nemayian. Even when there is nothing to eat at home, Nemayian can be sure that Lekishon and his friends will not go hungry at the school.

Cooking for a whole school on a weekly rational basis is grueling work, especially in the dry heat, but Nemayian is happy to help because she knows how important nutritious food and early year’s education are for the future of children in this remote community.

Nemayian says: “The food which Mando’s Meals brings is attracting small children to come to this pre-school so they can get a basic education as they prepare themselves for primary school.

“If I had gone to school, I would have liked to be working as a teacher now. Education, especially for girls, will change the life of that child in the future. When she does well and gets a good job, that child will not be excluded; she will not have to depend on anyone.”

Thanks to dedicated community members volunteers like Nemayian, Mando’s Meals are served to 520 little ones at Enkoireroi and its pre-schools across south rift in Kajiado every school day. Her sacrifice makes it possible for children in some of Kenya’s poorest and most remote communities to find hope in the classroom.

Safe House

Young orphans up to adolescents threatened by genital mutilation and early marriage will be housed in a current project. A housekeeper will look after 20 girls aged 5-15 at alternative living quarters named Silan (Maasai for "girl"). It will be their home 24/7 apart from time at Kimelok primary school or Ewuaso high school.

Planting orchards at the site of the envisioned safe house initiated the effort, since it takes two years for yield. Bananas, oranges, passion fruit, strawberries, avocado and pawpaws will feed the girls. Funds are sought to secure goats and cows for milk.

Architectural plans allow for construction to proceed as funding is available. A recent donation is allowing construction to proceed toward completion of the first phase – two classrooms, a kitchen, a flush toilet unit, two sets of pit latrines (to conserve water), water tanks, a matron staff room and, if money permits, a dining hall. Hopes are to open it in January to sponsored girls. Funds were raised via Investments for Developing Communities (IDC), a U.S.-based educational sponsor which also sends funds for sponsorships.

Ongoing cost per child would be double that of the $105 annual sponsorship for primary school, $375 for high school. In other words, two sponsorships will be needed for each child. Donations can be made at https://life.indiegogo.com/fundraisers/mando-masai-mara-safe-house . Ongoing support for staffing is sought, estimated at $1000 a month.

Solar Micro-grids

Partnering with international agencies, MANDO has brought solar micro-grids that produce electricity to its constituent communities.

Involved from the initial survey in January 2014 to appraise the need and prospects for the grids, MANDO liaised with community members ranging from pastors, chiefs, sub-chiefs, county officials and potential users to advance the projects. On the basis of survey findings Eremit, Entasopia and Olturoto were selected in the summer as demonstration sites. Residents and businesses were briefed on use, fees to be expected, connection costs and responsibility for ongoing maintenance. Permits from government authorities and consent to locate the units had to be obtained.

In early December MANDO's three communities as well as seven others in five counties, had systems installed and operating, possible due to cooperation with Green Empowerment, Access:Energy and Powergen. Each customer has his own power monitor at the hub along with security measures such as circuit breakers and fire extinguishers. Customers are shown tariffs based on use of power, then can begin to buy power paying via Mpesa. Training was provided on how to do this and check payment balances.

The size of the power generation unit (solar photovoltaic cells) can be matched to the size of the demand. These grids can be expanded as use increases.
 
MANDO and Green Empowerment will continue to research and coordinate development activities for these communities. For example, they sought backing of a U.S. investor involved with micro-grid systems to extend use of the Olturoto micro-grid to provide electricity to the school (upper left picture). Installation is nearly complete. Not only will this project enhance educational opportunities for 350 students currently enrolled, but likely will draw back students being sent to boarding school due to the lack of electricity at the local school. It is a testing ground to see how micro-grids can further serve communities where they are located. Another benefit from the micro-grids is reducing kerosene use and subsequent respiratory and eye infections as well as pollutants emitted.

Yet another direction to pursue is micro-grid battery charging. Batteries owned by a local entrepreneur and charged at the central system would be rented to individual manyattas unable to connect to the community micro-grid. The batteries would power several lights, charge cell phones and power small radios for an estimated two weeks. Depending on individual household needs, additional power can be added.

Mando's Meal!

Thanks to private donations solicited by MANDO, 520 pupils have lunches at Enkoireroi Primary School (Eremit community in Kajiado county, Kenya). Because some of the children walk up to 10 miles to school, many would drop out without something to get them through the day.

Benefits were almost immediately discernable: Increased school attendance, more energy and focus in the afternoon, better overall health and increased enrollment at the school.

Thanks to David Van't Hof of Portland, Oregon USA, donations have made possible two school years of lunches.

Donations are needed to make the program ongoing as well as to expand to two more schools - Nkuyan and Eremit primary schools which have 350 and 650 children respectively. Cost would be $3315 and $5685.

MANDO's sister nonprofit organization in the United States, Investments for Developing Communities (IDC), takes in and forwards donations.

The Maasai community whose children go to the school guard stored food, pay a parent a small fee to cook the food and supply water and fuel.

Educating the Girl Child