The grant covered initial training and equipment necessary to make the interlocking bricks. Curved ISSBs are used to construct water tanks and pit latrines. Formed with a sort of latch, they reduce the need for mortar while increasing strength. Once a tank is built, a sealant is applied to the inside of the tank for waterproofing. The density and strength of these blocks are comparable to concrete blocks, but they weigh half as much.
We already have three public tanks funded and under construction. Fourteen families are applying for tanks. Within a year our goal is to sell 40 tanks to families in the area and build 5-10 tanks at public locations like schools, markets and health centers. Within a year of being fully operational we expect to impact 5000 people.
Of course I couldn't do this alone.
I mobilized my community – mothers, girls, elders and moran who are young warriors. On market days I would look for women who might participate. First there were just six women. That grew to 12. We started by sharing cups, utensils and tools for agriculture and bead making. Three years ago 37 of us formed the very first group to the address the water challenges in my community. Thus, Maji Mama was born in Eremit. I was chosen as secretary because of how far I had gone in school. I am the only woman who can read and write in English, Swahili, and Maasai.
We empower ourselves by selling bricks, tanks and latrines. Women can access loans to pay for a tank for their own for their homes. For many of these women this is their first-ever loan. With the tank they can see an increase to their families' well being and a decrease in their work collecting water.
By becoming self employed, women gain standing in the community. If we own a business, men listen to what we have to say. Having our own money means we can make changes we want in our homes and community.
I must emphasize, employment is critical at this time. Because of long droughts, many Maasai have lost the bulk of their herds. To generate income they have resorted to charcoal burning, which is illegal, dangerous and causes deforestation. Employment making bricks is safe, better paying and good for the environment.
By the way, our business model has four products that create revenue for us women shareholders – fully constructed 10,000-liter tanks for approximately 50,000KES – that's 430 euros or 500 US Dollars – or 20,000-liter tanks for double that. Thirdly, fully constructed pit latrines for approximately 50,000KES. We also sell individual bricks to build houses.
Women shareholders of Maasai Women Empowerment earn revenue in two ways. First, the cost of labor to build tanks or latrines is factored directly into the cost. Also a 10% margin is factored in which is distributed to shareholders. Some of this margin also goes into a contingency and repair fund.
With the help of both the local and international NGOs that provided our initial grant, we have established a number of indicators to evaluate success. In the area of business development, we are instigating standard operating procedures for contracts, labor, quality control and marketing that can be used as a model for other women wanting to start a business like this. In the area of sales, the goal is 50 contracts for tanks at households, schools and churches by the end of the year. We currently have 15 prospective contracts we are working on. We are also connecting community members who cannot afford the full cost of a water tank with microloans. We are beginning to speak to farmers about rain tanks for irrigation.
There are two main risks we face. First, it's rain and climate change. While rains usually bring a lot of water in the spring, that usually lasts only a month. The past four years of drought would have made it difficult to get water to make ISSBs. This year, however, Kenya has been experiencing floods. Not only have hundreds of people perished, the floods washed out roads and bridges, making transportation difficult and slowing the startup of our initiative.
The second risk is land titles. Historically, Maasai land has been communal. Now that the Kenyan government is forcing us to settle, some of our land remains communal, but part of it has been divided into plots. This has caused a lot of confusion. On top of this, the cost for title transfers is so high, many of the titles are in the name of only one or two families. We need to make sure that land titles are clear and provide support for those who need titles cleared.
I want every girl in Kenya to be a woman with a dream. Together, we 37 maasai women are setting the pace. Not only do our tanks provide access to water, they create employment and help the environment. With more water security, there is more time to work on ways to improve our economic situation, improve nutrition and address climate challenges. This is our building block for society.
