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A Dream Come True!
Water at Last!

The Maasai Community's traditional source of livelihood, cattle rearing, is threatened by changing weather patterns, which has caused a prolonged drought that has negatively affected the livelihood of the Maasai people. In partnership with Worldserve-Kenya and Davis & Shirtliff,  we completed the water drilling project and commissioned the borehole in August 2023. We have since implemented farming projects and are moving the Maasai community from over-dependency on cattle rearing to both cattle and crop farming for food security. Locals are trained at the facility and supported to grow crops in their farms. 

Water and Farming Initiatives

EXCITEMENT AS THE BOREHOLE PROJECT IS COMMISSIONED!

Finally, a community that traveled an average of 8 kilometers witnessed a unforgettable milestone.  PIPES International partnered with Davis & Shirtliff and World Serve-Kenya to realize the dream. And on Wednesday, August 2, 2023, the community gathered for the commissioning of the borehole. Moses, a local pastor, stated, "This borehole is an answered prayer, and it will go a long way in serving the community for years. The project will have long-lasting effects and will impact areas such as economic growth, improved health and hygiene, improved cleanliness, enhanced livestock management, food security, and creation of jobs through farming initiatives."
Overall, the borehole project will have a transformative impact on the lives of the Maasai people, significantly improving their access to water and contributing to their overall well-being and economic development. This project will transform lives in a region that has been hard-hit by drought for years.
The Maasai Community's traditional source of livelihood, cattle rearing, is threatened by changing weather patterns, which has caused a prolonged drought that has negatively affected the livelihood of the Maasai people.

Prolonged droughts have become a common feature among the Maasai community in Namanga region due to climate change. Women and girls walk numerous kilometers in search of water that they carry back home. The long-distance walks take away time from other productive activities. Since water access points are far, the amount of water used in households has to be highly rationed so that water lasts longer. Extreme water rationing has implications on hygiene practices at household level. Often communities draw water from rivers and it is consumed without purifying. Traditionally, rivers were clean and consuming water from rivers poised little danger. However, with increased use of chemicals and litter, the water bodies are polluted. This problem also affects schools as some lack reliable clean water.

Water is a blessing to the Maasai women 

Women and girls are significant beneficiaries of the water. Normally they walk numerous kilometers in search of water that they carry back home. The long-distance walks take away time from other productive activities. Since water access points are far, the amount of water used in households has to be highly rationed so that water lasts longer. This means some important chores are left unattended due to shortage of work. 

A blessing to the whole community

Male members of the family walk long distances in search of drinking water for their cattle. During the droughts, semi-nomadic tribes travel numerous kilometers across other counties in search of water and greener pastures. In some instances, conflicts arise between the pastoralists and communities where the pastoralists are considered to have trespassed and let their animals interfere with the farms of host communities.
Since commission the borehole on August 2, 2023, male members of the community do not have to walk their cattle for hours in search of water. Water in now available in their community.  

Empowering Maasai Community Through Agri-Business

We aim to empower the Maasai community to embrace crop farming and equip them to practice it by applying modern farming techniques. We will invest in demonstration farms, capacity building, seed investment, and sensitization.  To achieve the dream, we have already purchased 10 acres and drilled a borehole. We will set up demonstration farms, showcase the application of farming techniques to the target communities, and promote small-scale agribusiness farming using modern farming techniques. We will install drip irrigation and divide the area into blocks where learners study and practice farming. We will help them transition to their homes, cultivate food, and sell the surplus.

NEXT STEPS.....

Setting up demonstration farm ad training locals on farming skills. 

Kenya has many unemployed youth. They face multiple vulnerabilities such as poverty, low literacy, lack of employability skills, lack of opportunities in their locations, and near zero social capital from family. Overreliance on cattle herding as the primary economic activity has worsened the situation due to prolonged drought.
PIPES International has introduced community-driven solutions to create jobs for the youth by leveraging the community's land resources for agribusiness. We have began training youth and women on farming and are mentoring them to initiate agribusiness activities, access markets, establish partnerships, and create jobs for their self-employment.