Eco-huts attract tourists, and cash, to Maasais

Modern eco-manyatta at Suswa area in Narok East.The traditional manyattas are set to be phased out through the introduction of the eco-friendly manyattas aimed at saving the environment and upgrading the lives of the pastoral communities in Narok county.PHOTOS:ROBERT KIPLAGAT

In the evening, Eunice Kaparo and Rosemary Nenini finish up their daily cleaning routine in the modern Maasai dwellings, or manyattas, owned by the Twala women’s group.

“This is elephant dung - they destroyed trees last night. They are such a nuisance, but we can’t do without them since they attract tourists,” said Nenini. The ‘eco-manyatta’ she’s tidying up is an environmentally friendly version of a traditional Maasai one-room hut built with mud and wood.