After our start with Swiss TOPtoTOP at the end of the summer on foot and by bike, we used the time until the second stage on skis for a long-planned follow-up project with the Maasai.

We accepted the invitation from our TOPtoTOP member Kalanga in Tanzania and his family. Thanks to this year’s El Nino, the long-awaited rain finally came when we were there.

Twelve years ago, we converted the wells to solar operation and used the roofs of the school buildings to collect precious water. This was possible thanks to Victorinox and 3S Swiss Solar Solutions.

The current challenge was that the number of pupils has tripled in the meantime and the region has been hit by major droughts in the last three years. Some families lost more than half of their livestock.

Collecting water on the roofs of the school buildings during the rainy season and storing the water in tanks for the long drought was a success. Kalanga told us that our simple idea has since gone viral throughout East Africa.
It was also gratifying to see that the 3S solar panels, which we organized to power the pumps to extract vital groundwater, are still doing their job.

During our school visits in the region, we realized that our pilot project has been copied in many other locations.
However, due to drought, overgrazing and population growth, the Maasai are now realizing that traditional livestock farming is not enough. They have therefore started to cut down trees and bushes in order to grow maize, which only produces short-term yields but makes the soil infertile in the long term. This maize cultivation and the associated changes are not only a problem for traditional life but also for wild animals such as zebras, elephants and so on.

Furthermore, the need for wood as building material for their huts and as fuel for cooking leads to the deforestation of trees that are important for the microclimate. Here the kitchen for the school in Loiborsoit of about 800+ students needs a lot of wood:

Together with Kalanga, we have developed the following local solutions to overcome these challenges:
– new technology: hand-pressed building blocks made of earth to replace wood.
– Reforestation with the integration of vegetable and fruit crops to secure the food requirements that are no longer guaranteed with traditional livestock farming. Here an example:

– Biogas for cooking, this pilot project could be realized in the public school of Liborsoit with almost 1000 pupils and accordingly enough biomass.

Our member Larissa is in the process of developing a master plan for this.

During our stay, we also had the good fortune to spend several days exchanging ideas with Arbreen and to take part in a reforestation project. We are currently looking into working more closely with Arbreen to join forces to help the region.

Thank you all for your support in this project.
Have a blessed Christmas season – Hakuna Matata!