We are in the midst of our collaboration with the Seventh Day Adventists with a new program named the Maasai Integrated Livelihood Advancement Project.

The mission is to bring good stoves, powerful home solar lighting systems, and clean water to the people of three additional villages.

It is a cost- sharing program, with ICSEE providing part of the funding, with the bulk coming from the German Adventists.

Organized by ADRA Tanzania, the collaboration depends on us in important ways. The technology we developed is essential in all three sectors; stove, solar, and water sanitation. It is especially satisfying to see that ADRA recognizes and is utilizing our experience and success with organizing Maasai women and village leaders.

We are now training the women in the villages of Mlimani, Mbuyuni, and Meserani. They will soon join our team of more than 200 Maasai women who are expert installers of the ICSEE stove. Our solar-electric team is installing special 60-watt solar electric systems in 100 homes (see photo above).

In addition, ADRA will make sure the rain collecting reservoirs are in good shape, digging new ones where necessary. ICSEE will install our pond-side solar-powered chlorination systems to provide the clean, safe water.

Photography © Roshni Lodhia for The Nature Conservancy

The grasslands of Africa, especially those in the East Africa plains, including Tanzania, are a great resource. It is widely understood that they could be healthier, support more livestock and wildlife, and hold more carbon through strong, abundant grass.

Mitigation of climate change is terribly important, and capturing more carbon in the grasslands can be a part of that. At the same time, adaptation is urgent for the people too.

There are significant global warming symptoms, such as droughts, that threaten well-being right now. Maasai herders now face the responsibility of preventing the most extreme dangers.

Through it all, the herders have pressing family responsibilities. Their wives and children need healthier homes, clean water, healthcare, and schools.

This means that Maasai cattlemen have to participate in the money economy,by being ready to spend, while simultaneously responding to drought and possibly other crises.

The first symptom of drought is grass shortage. This means that livestock require food supplementation to maintain their health and value.

The Nature Conservancy has a broad and integrated program. They know that Maasai herders must get through hard times. Drought doesn’t wait, and all ways must be pursued to make sure the pastoralist livestock economy can get through and thrive.  The better they thrive, the more they can be a part of long term programs, that can include actions for mitigation.

ICSEE has recently received the funds from the Nature Conservancy we described in the last enews. These are earmarked for a cattle feedlot expansion, and the work has already begun.

We’ll soon be ready to provide livestock care services to the herders recruited by the Nature Conservancy for their program.

In a few days I'll be joining our ICSEE leaders and staff in Tanzania, as they work to move our initiatives forward.

As you know, we've continued to develop the Cypress Hill Community Center facility and it is has become an increasingly useful and attractive venue.

Program development there is important to us. We will soon launch our first training course on job creation for youth that we described in the February newsletter.

We eagerly anticipate introducing our environment-conserving stove in more homes at the edges of the national parks of Tanzania. Officials now recognize that when people in these locations thrive, they put less pressure on the important conservation lands nearby.

I look forward to sharing the continuing stories with you!

Making a real difference