Description

During the late nineteen eighties a British NGO with Canadian funding called FARM-Africa identified a need to help pastoralists in northern Kenya to become more self reliant in food. In order to reach the target population of camel- owning nomads, it was recognized that the Project should "go to the people, live with them and jointly seek solutions to their problems." In brief, we had to be nomadic also.

Our first attempts proved costly as our tents could neither resist the powerful sun, nor stand up to the relentless wind. By contrast we quickly became aware that the traditional nomadic houses were much more durable, provided better insulation against temperature extremes, while still being portable on the backs of camels, all at a fraction of the cost of modern tents. For the next twelve years our teams lived continuously among the nomads in our own traditional mobile outreach camps. We thoroughly identified with the people even to having our own herd of camels for the purpose of demonstrating sound husbandry. Over the years we visited the remotest nomads living along the Ethiopian border, never ceasing to wonder at their remarkable bush knowledge acquired and handed down over the centuries, which helped to ease them through life's crises

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