Communities we work with
Our mission to elevate humanity is focused on ensuring safe, decent housing for Kenya’s pastoralist communities, including the Turkana, Rendille, Samburu, Daasanach, El Molo, Gabra, and Borana. These communities, deeply rooted in Kenya’s diverse landscapes and traditions, face unique challenges in accessing secure and sustainable shelter.
The El Molo
The El Molo, Kenya's smallest ethnic group with around 300 people, reside in the northern Eastern Province near Lake Turkana. Originally from the Horn of Africa, they migrated into the Great Lakes region around 1000 BC. Over time, the El Molo faced displacement by neighboring communities, eventually moving to two small villages. Today, the majority are mixed with Nilotic groups, although a few pure El Molo individuals remain. While they once spoke the El Molo language, Samburu has become more common among them. Their primary religions are Waaq and Christianity, and they share cultural connections with Kenyan Nilotes and Cushitic peoples.
Housing
Houses are traditionally constructed using materials such as reeds and mud, reflecting their unique cultural practices and environment by Lake Turkana.
challenges
Vulnerable to environmental changes, including rising lake levels and climate fluctuations, which threaten their housing and lifestyle. Limited resources and access to materials for repairs also impact their housing security.
Rendille
The Rendille, also called the “Holders of the Stick of God”, are a Cushitic-speaking ethnic group in northern Kenya’s Eastern Province, specifically between Marsabit County and Lake Turkana. They are believed to have migrated south from Ethiopia’s Horn region, spurred by the population expansions of the Oromo and later the Somali. Traditionally nomadic pastoralists, they rely on camels, sheep, goats, and cattle, with camels generally kept in the north and cattle in the south. The Ariaal subgroup, of mixed Nilotic and Cushitic ancestry, speaks Samburu, the language of the neighboring Samburu Nilotes with whom they share territory.
Housing
Traditional homes are often built with sticks and trees, which contributes to deforestation.
challenges
Vulnerable to environmental threats like storms and fire outbreaks, leading to the need for improved housing solutions that are sustainable and climate-resilient.
Samburu
The Samburu are a Nilotic ethnic group in north-central Kenya, traditionally semi-nomadic pastoralists who primarily herd cattle, with sheep, goats, and camels also part of their livestock. They refer to themselves as Lokop or Loikop, a term that some interpret as "owners of the land," reflecting a deep connection to their territory. Related to the Maasai but culturally distinct, the Samburu speak a unique dialect of the Maa language, shared among 22 sub-tribes within the Maa community.
Housing
Houses are typically made from local materials such as mud, thatch, and wood.
challenges
Insecurity and droughts affect both the safety and stability of their housing, necessitating better designs that offer protection and sustainability.
Borana
The Borana are a major subgroup of the Oromo people, primarily residing in Marsabit County, northern Kenya. As a Cushitic ethnic group, they speak a dialect of Oromo known as Borana and are distinguished by their continuous practice of the Gadaa system, a traditional socio-political governance structure. The Borana community is the largest Oromo-speaking group in Kenya, with other related groups including the Gabra, Orma, and Sakuye. They are believed to have migrated from Ethiopia in the 10th century, establishing a lasting presence in Kenya’s northern regions.
Housing
Houses built with mud and thatch, often in circular formations.
challenges
Like other communities, they contend with changing climate patterns that affect their housing stability and comfort.
Turkana
The Turkana are a Nilotic ethnic group native to Turkana County in northwest Kenya, a semi-arid region bordering Lake Turkana and neighboring ethnic communities, including the Pokot, Rendille, and Samburu to the south, Uganda to the west, and South Sudan and Ethiopia to the north. According to the 2019 Kenyan census, the Turkana population numbers 1,016,174, making them the third largest Nilotic group in Kenya after the Kalenjin and Luo and the tenth largest ethnic group overall. Known for their resilience in the harsh climate of Turkana, they refer to their land as Turkan and maintain a close cultural connection to this region.
Housing
Structures are made from readily available materials, including thatch and mud, suited to their mobile lifestyle.
challenges
Facing severe drought and food insecurity, which can impact their ability to maintain and build resilient housing.
Daasanach
The Daasanach, also known as the Marille or Geleba, are an East Cushitic ethnic group living near Lake Turkana across Ethiopia, Kenya, and South Sudan. Their main homeland lies in Ethiopia’s Debub Omo Zone, with significant populations in northwestern Kenya. Traditionally pastoralists, the Daasanach have shifted towards an agropastoral lifestyle, combining livestock herding with flood-retreat cultivation and fishing. They keep cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys, and plant sorghum along the Omo River’s floodplain, which benefits from nutrient-rich silt after seasonal flooding. Fishing, once looked down upon, is now a valued income source. In 2007, the Ethiopian Daasanach population was approximately 48,000, with additional thousands living in Kenya. Despite limited annual rainfall, the Omo River floods enable reliable crop production, setting them apart from neighboring pastoral groups.
Housing
Primarily uses temporary structures, often made from available local materials.
challenges
Inconsistent access to resources for building and maintaining homes due to climate variability and displacement.
Gabra
The Gabra are a Cushitic ethnic group primarily residing in the highlands of southern Ethiopia and the Marsabit region of northern Kenya. They migrated to northern Kenya around the 15th century, drawn by their pastoralist lifestyle, and settled in areas including Moyale, Marsabit, North Horr, the Chalbi Desert, and parts of southern Ethiopia. Related to the Oromo people, the Gabra share cultural and linguistic ties with neighboring Oromo communities. They practice both Islam and Christianity, reflecting the influence of the diverse communities surrounding them.
Housing
Traditional huts made from locally sourced materials, reflecting their nomadic lifestyle.
challenges
Similar to other communities, they face issues of resource scarcity and environmental challenges, necessitating innovative housing solutions.