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Willem Lageweg - Chairman Friends of the Maasai
12 sep 2023
A holistic approach
Maasai people react with a holistic approach to big issues such as climate change, persisting droughtsand many other problems they have to deal with. People, livestock and wildlife belong to the same system in their view on life. You cannot bring solutions to one of them without taking into account the other parts of the system.
That’s what many Maasai people made clear to the board of Friends of the Maasai during their fieldtrip at the end of August and the beginning of September 2023.
Nelson Ole Kirrokor, director of Nkoilale Community Development Foundation in the Mara region:
"Taking care of the environment, giving local people the lead and economic empowerment have to gohand in hand to come to sustainable solutions in our region".
The board of Friends of the Maasai visited several Maasai communities to learn about the challenges and the solutions in different parts of Maasailand.
Tikoishi and OrpirikataIn
Tikoshi and Orpirikata the first encouraging results of introducing permaculture in these remoteareas were presented. Now these communities have gained some experience with growing vegetables in community gardens their next step is to start with kitchen gardens.
Friends of the Maasai, supported by some donors, funds the cost of training and material to make a well prepared start. The training is given by Joseph Lentunyoi from the Permaculture Center in Laikipia. Janice Nkoyato Mutui and Nice Syapei from the Amboseli area joining him. By learning and cooperating together Maasai from different areas can implement new solutions faster and on a broader scale than working on their own.
Lessons learned
The fieldtrip learned many things. One important element was that Maasai, and especially women and the youth are very eager to learn when they are exposed to new knowledge. Further the trip made very clear that a holistic approach fits to the Maasai culture and is the only way to sustainable solutions. A third conclusion was that economic empowerment and new sources of income for the Maasai who until now mainly live from their cattle is very important.
The communities that have been visited by Friends of the Maasai are invited to come up with new plans to make the situation for both people, livestock and wildlife more futureproof. Together with their representatives, the board of Friends of the Maasai will reach out to donors and other partners to make their dreams come true.
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