Nashetu-E-Maa
Practical Action
Building skills, demonstrating and developing livelihoods
Amos was trained on the job, by his brother, who had been trained by ITDG. Amos has been
involved in constructing 3 school buildings and 7 houses; he feels there is an increasing
demand for SSB technology and is able to command a daily wage of 200 Kenyan Shillings –
which compares well with market rates for skilled manual work in Kajiado.
Mr Moinket, the headmaster of Ibisil Primary School, saw the demonstration SSB structure at
the nearby primary school of Lenkishon and liked it. The Parent Teachers’ Association at his
school subsequently approached Practical Action for help in building 2 classrooms and a
storeroom, which ultimately cost 300,000 Kenyan shillings. The same structure, built in
stone, had been estimated to cost 580,000 Kenyan shillings. Now the PTA has
commissioned a 40 bed dormitory for girls. Construction proceeds slowly since parents are
funding the work and are not able to pay the whole amount required at one time but
incremental improvements lead to the desired end in an affordable manner. ‘staff have been
very much available to us, checking construction as it reaches each new level’ said Mr
Moniket; Practical Action also relied on inputs from the Ministry of Public Works to ensure
public safety requirements are met.
Amos Sikishoi and his assistant Oloongida Molel in front of the new girls’
dormitory being built at Ibisil Primary School. Photo: Practical Action.
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