Nashetu-E-Maa
Practical Action
enables them to do their homework more easily i.e. with improved lighting levels, reduced smoke
pollution and sufficient space to work indoors.
One woman said that her own children, and their neighbouring friends, did not want her to move
into her new improved house since 11 of them met there to do their evening studies. A teacher
working with families in a project area confirmed the apparent improvement in pupil
performance.
A key element in establishing sustainability has been the creation of linkages among local
nongovernmental organisations, community-based organisations and local government.
Partnerships with others have stimulated interaction in a variety of development initiatives
e.g. involving staff from the Ministries concerned with child health, nutrition, kitchen gardens,
sanitation, income generation and so on.
The traditional skills associated with Maasai housing belong to women. Project staff recognise
the challenges in adapting to the continual social, economic and environmental changes as well
as those in developing and employing new technologies. Maasai women’s expressed desire is to
involve men more in the house building process, but project staff continue to face the challenge
of how not to undermine the role played by women. It could be considered patronising and/or
ineffectual for Practical Action to deal with people’s relationships on their behalf when they are
much better at doing so themselves. Nonetheless, staff awareness of gender issues is high and
has been critical in ensuring Practical Action’s effectiveness in delivering over a hundred houses
in the district of Kajiado and influencing the production of several hundred more. The need for
more improved housing remains evident in Kajiado and many neighbouring locations. Practical
Action staff believe that further technology dissemination is dependent on training more artisans
and sharing the experience they have gained more widely in Kenya and internationally. Project
staff continue to face the challenge of assisting others to build local technological capacity and
enabling others to access decent, affordable housing for themselves.
This document is based on the booklet Nashetu-E-Maa; Building in Partnership with the
Massi 1999. The project work and the production of the original booklet were generously
supported by the Tony Bullard Trust. This trust was set up by friends after Tony Bullard
was killed in Afghanistan in 1993.
For further information contact:
Practical Action
The Schumacher Centre Bourton Hall
Bourton on Dunsmore, Rugby
CV23 9Z
United Kingdom
Tel: 44 (0) 1926 634400
Fax: 44 (0) 1926 634401
E-mail: infoserv@practicalaction.org.uk
Website: http://www.practicalaction.org
Practical Action - Eastern Africa
P.O. Box 39493 - 00623
Nairobi
Kenya
Tel: +254 (0) 20 2713540 / 2715299 / 2719313 / 2719413.
Fax: +254 (0) 20 2710083
Email: practicalaction@practicalaction.or.ke
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