The story of Shambob
Practical Action
Health and hygiene
The same exercise demonstrated an increase in awareness of good personal hygiene practices
due to knowledge exchanged during the co-operative meetings. Health expenditure was seen
to have increased as people are able to supplement traditional medicines with modern
treatment - some use their increased wealth to pay for healthcare.
Food and water provision
Expenditure on food has increased; the amount of sorghum purchased and the number of
meals people eat has risen, some mentioned that they now occasionally eat meat. Water
consumption has increased as the donkey carts have increased availability; previously a
person could carry two jerry cans on the donkey’s back and the journey to collect water could
take 4 hours.
Housing quality
At an individual and household level,
participatory assessment exercises showed how
the quality of housing has increased from one
hut to two huts or to one hut and a shed.
Members of a discussion groups said that the
type of housing had improved; previously walling
and roofing was thatch material, but now some
people build using mud walling, and
occasionally fired bricks are used. One
participant highlighted the fact that they now
have windows where previously they only had a
door.
“I left [the village for university] when
the educational term started, and when
the term ended, I returned home.
Learning is the main branch of
development for society. This project
stopped emigration [from the village]
because now there’s more than enough
work available here. The people stay here
and work - there’s no need to emigrate.
Now you can go to work close by, and
return home at night. This is my family,
and my land. I never want to leave it, so I
returned to help.” Gaafar Maatouq
Clothing
The quality and quantity of clothing has improved, most people from the sample discussion
group said they used to have only one jelabia whilst most now have two or three.
Knowledge and information
Knowledge and information sharing is helping to “Access to more water was a big change.
create sustainable livelihoods and increase
It saved the time of women, which they
people’s options, even among those of the
consumed in bringing water from Wadi
women who have been kept away from any
Sharife, about three or four kilometres
economic activity. In the Islamic society of
from Shambob, and the effect is very
Eastern Sudan it is not accepted for men and
pronounced in the village now. People
women to work together.
are more clean, children are more clean,
women have more time to look after their
It is generally perceived as a major change to
children and their families.”
have both men and women involved as members Jeremiah Bairiak
of the co-operative. Whilst women do not work in
brick-production activities, they do hold shares in the co-operative. This has allowed the
women to become more engaged in local economic activity.
Challenging gender roles
The new community centre has provided a focus
for the women in the community, and the
increased local wealth has given them the time
to explore their own business opportunities.
Practical Action works with thousands of women
in Kassala State to develop their skills through
workshops in small business techniques.
Recently Practical Action’s Agro-processing
“The Beja community, from which
Shambob burghers come, is a closed
community in terms of division of roles
between men and women. Women had no
voice in affairs of the community and
they did not own assets of any kind.”
Jeremiah Bairiak
Programme staff has been providing vocational training to the women of Shambob. They
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