Kenya: Water for the Maasai

The ten year long “Water for the Maasai” borehole rehabilitation project started in 1997. Prior to undertaking the work, the donor Water Supply Company Drenthe put a lot of energy into a pre-assessment of the situation to determine how to best assist the Maasai communities. Of primary interest were the areas physical geographic and social geographical aspects (i.e. how to provide assistance without infringing upon the culture and traditions of the Maasai).

In the project Water Supply Company Drenthe from Holland and AMREF Flying Doctors (NGO) are working together closely. Water Supply Company Drenthe provides their experience, funding sources, and guides the project. The non-governmental health organisation of Africa, AMREF, facilitates the project.

The project aims were formulated after the physical and social aspects were determined to have been adequately studied. The project aims included; the rehabilitation of as many boreholes as possible in the Kajiado district; the creation of an association responsible for borehole operation and maintenance within the first 5 years; and the financial and technical transfer of the project in the following 5 year period. After ten years it is expected that the project will be owned by the Maasai.

Training in relation to the project is also in organizational terms. If a Maasai community wants to join the project they have to agree to all details and regulations such as paying for 25% of the hardware and as owners being responsible for maintaining it. Furthermore, they must install a water committee (6 men, 4 women), pay contribution for the association, get training in capacity building, be able to
run the organisation, and open a bank account for saving money. Support from the NGO AMREF will continue for a long time and the technical people from AMREF will get salary from the association after the project has finished in order to ensure that boreholes do not fall into disrepair.

In order to let the 34 communities cooperate in one Association, the communities are clustered in 6 Borehole Cluster Association Committees (BCAC) and have begun to merge into one Association. This Association for the district will contain a warehouse for spare parts and repairs. This Association will be guided for at least another five years. The aim for 2007 is that the Association will be fully self-supporting. The Maasai families will contribute financially to gain ownership and responsibility for the association, including technical personal, cars, spare part stores, etc. All Maasai agreed to pay and received training to run the associations. They were trained by AMREF people, who will be depending on their salary from the Maasai associations. This mutual relationship is one of the keys to the success of the project.

Good quality groundwater at a relatively short distance is now accessible throughout the year. Through the project training the Maasai people now maintain the diesel engines on the borehole sites, with the AMREF crew providing some assistance with repairs if necessary. Trust was facilitated through the use of a local NGO and group meetings that include the donor once or twice per year.

Aid programs often give little or no attention to the cultural, traditional, and technical differences of the local communities the donors are trying to assist. Misunderstandings and distrust often result in project failure within a very short period, it is therefore critical to note that the success of the “Water for Maasai” project can be attributed to the Maasai’s, the NGO’s and Donor’s respect for one another’s cultures, traditions, and technologies through a comprehensive trust-building initiative.

Gender issues and empowerment of women is vital to the project. Women join committees and get influence in them, children in general have more time to go to school, and more girls go to school until the age of 18.

Since the start of the project in 1997 about 40 communities (villages) have joined the project. This means that about 60, 000 Maasai have been involved. They have all paid 25% of the hardware and contributions for the association. IWRM focus is also seen from the high attention paid to education, training, and capacity building, and transfer of ownership.

Today the Maasai grow corn and vegetables on large scale in order to generate money for improving living standards and the water supply system. They sell vegetables to hotels and neighbouring communities and are able to save money for the future. They are also able to supply water for cattle markets.