by Christian DeVries
A dam at the Maasai Animal Health and Livestock Marketing Project at Suswa Center in Kenya. Located in a small valley, the dam collects rain water and stores it in nearby containers. Photos by Russ Powell
I was surprised when I found out that Suswa Centre had no electricity. On the way into town I had seen newly-built power lines; however, even though the Kenyan government installed lines to the town in 2010, not a single family has been connected.
Although I was surprised they didn’t have electricity, I was totally shocked to learn that Suswa — a town of 2,000 inhabitants — has no running water.
Josephat Mutinda (right) and Charles Otieno stand on a water holding tank overlooking the Maasai Animal Health and Livestock Marketing Project.
Currently all of the town’s water has to be brought in by truck, and in the dry season it can cost $0.27 per gallon (6.00 Kenya Shillings per liter). While this might not sound like much, you have to remember that animals need water too, so thousands of dollars are spent every day.
Ramat, with Heifer’s assistance, has built a series of weirs, pipes and water tanks to capture rain and ensure their cattle always have fresh water. In addition to generating electricity and piping gas, the Ramat Holding Center plans to pipe water into town where it can be sold substantially cheaper than current rates.
This project is a great example of how Heifer helped by providing families what they really needed. Instead of farmers receiving a cow when they already have so many, Heifer gave them a place to sell their cattle, training to ensure more animals would make it to market, and skills and tools to protect the environment. Soon the entire community’s standard of living is set to improve.
Now this is a noble project. I have worked with the maa speaking communities in Kenya. They deserve such projects. I am working on a similar project with the Samburu communities with individual donors. How cam we benefit from your program?
Joseph Mwangi.
I am a suswa resident by birth, still lives there.
Suswa holding ground was set aside for projects that will benefit the local community. However, whatever business that is taking place there is only known to very few individuals?
There were livestock both on the so called Heifer int’l and oxfarm int’l sides, originally meant to support the community in one way or another. They vanished!!
Can somebody come out to the community and clearly explain what there benefits were supposed to be for their precious land they sacrificed?
We have received the following responses from Heifer International Kenya’s Country Director, Alex Kirui:
1. The Suswa project was developed as a livestock marketing center. It was not for livestock distribution. The original objective was that the facility would help the Maasai sell their livestock in good condition even after long drought.The facility would do this through the feedlot facility where emaciated livestock would be fed and fattened before they were sold for slaughter or restocking. The facility is managed as a unit and has a board with membership from community leaders. The facility has been developed but has not realized its full function due to shortage of funds as working capital.
2. Recently, the facility under Ramat Livestock Enterprises received a loan of Kshs. 5 million from Kenya government facility, the Youth Fund. The loan was to be used in facilitating young people to trade in livestock. They would be given loans or they sell livestock to Ramat as their terminal market. Ramat has purchased close to 2,000 sheep from a few youth groups in Loita and Suswa which were sold to Kenya Meat Commission. In the month of May, six sheep were lost in the holding ground (either strayed or stolen) but four were recovered. Ramat is planning to expand the livestock business, which will benefit the community.
3. There were no plans to use the project to distribute livestock to the community. This was purely for enabling the community to have access to efficient livestock markets and create employment for the youth and women.
4. I am not aware of a livestock project by Oxfam.
I visited Ramat recently and was encouraged by the business ideas that the directors(met Mr. Punyua and Dr. Lesunet) of the board have. They require support on putting up strong business concepts around livestock marketing including gross margin analysis of the proposed confinement feedlot fattening and the anticipated abattoir. Additionally, the ongoing projects need to be completed for them to realize any return to the investment.
If fully implemented, the Ramat project has the potential of contributing immensely to Kenya’s vision 2030.
there is no water even for drinking why cant the piping be done for the comminites to get water from ologumi