March 14. The most unique thing about our Earthwatch research site in Wamba is the opportunity we have to interact with the local Samburu people. Everywhere we go, we are met with big smiles and waves. Some of the people dress much like we do, but many wear their traditional dress, which is very brightly colored. Men and boys may wear bright sarongs (like a skirt) with no shirt; women wear dresses with fantastic beaded necklaces and headbands which we are all fascinated by; very small children may wear nothing at all. The men may also wear beaded bracelets and headbands, different than those worn by the women. Both men and women have their ears pierced, and the holes enlarged to about the size of a nickel. Everyone wears their hair very short, and it is hard to tell the little boys from the little girls. The kids are so much fun—we’ve all been having a good time taking their pictures and then showing the pictures on our digital cameras.


The people live in manyattas, which are small clusters of huts circled by a fence of thorn bushes. The huts consist of a framework of branches covered with grasses, mud, and other found materials. They are quite small and can be taken apart quickly when the people need to move on in order to find food and water for the livestock they keep. They have no running water or electricity.

The Samburu people walk everywhere. We have been doing research in areas where we thought there was no one around for miles, only to find ourselves suddenly surrounded by curious people who wonder what we’re doing. We always take a Samburu guide into the field with us to help us locate the zebras. These men are paid for their work and their communities are also paid $20 per volunteer, which goes into a community fund for education. This helps the local people to view Grevy’s zebra as a resource, so they are interested in its survival, too. Their participation and help is valuable to the project and those of us who come here as volunteers enjoy meeting them and learning about how they live.