Interviewer(s): I004
Interviewee(s): P467

I004: How are you Mother?

P467: I am fine.

I004: Mother, I would like to know how old are you?

P467: Okay my name is P467, I am a resident of Kambala and I am sixty years old.

I004: You are sixty years old?

P467: Yes.

I004: Mother can you remember a major thing that happened when you were born may be some of the major occurrences you can remember or your parents narrated to you?

P467: When I was born they used to say that there were no problems, there were no diseases you could not find someone who is anaemic, and everyone was giving birth at the right time.

I004: Okay mother, in which village were you born and grew up?

P467: It is Kambala village.

I004: Kambala

P467: eee....

I004: And in which district is kambala located?

P467: It is in Mvomero district.

I004: mmh...and what is the name of this location?

P467: Hembeti location.

I004: It is called the location of?

P467: Hembeti.

I004: Mother, can you be able to tell me the by time you were growing up and living with your parents what were you involved in?

P467: In what may be?

I004: Meaning the formation of your family how was it?

P467: Mmm... the form of our family, in the past I was living with my husband ,we were happily living with my husband until he the time he died, you know us Maasai if your husband has died, you are not supposed to marry another person. You live with the children and my husband died while my children were still young but I thank God. We Maasai we only struggle for something to look after we keep the cows no one knows about growing crops, until when there was a dry spell and destroy our cows . What I am requesting with due respect is for your project to facilitate us with the pasture or food for our cows like me I would like to do zero grazing because our cows are moving long distance and are getting distinct because of drought. So if at all I will get enough food for our cow I will do zero grazing.

I004: Okay Mother, my question was about the form of life, the form of your family?

P467: Ehe eee	.

I004: The time you were young when you were living with your father and mother?

P467: Mmmm.

I004: Were you living in one homestead as father, mother and children or there were different houses or you also were living with relatives?

P467: Everyone was living in his own house.

I004: By that time you were young?

P467: Eee...

I004: In your parents

P467: Eee...

I004: How were you living in your household?

P467: Everyone in his/her own house but father and mother in the same house.

I004: Whom were you living with by that time?

P467: I was living with my father, mother and other siblings.

I004: What were your parents doing to earn a living?

P467: They were only keeping the cows. Their work was to keep cows. They did not have any other work.

I004: Which responsibilities or duties were for the men in your family by that time?

P467: The men's duty were to look after the cattle the women were milking the cows, cooking food, serving people food.

I004: How old were the men who were looking after the cattle?

P467: Even the older men were looking after the cattle’s; even the youth were looking after the cattle’s.

I004: What about on the side of the young girls like you meaning the female children by that time, which activities were they involved in?

P467: They were milking the cows, they go collect firewood, and they sweep the house that was their work.

I004: Was there any one in your family, who went to school at that time?

P467: Mmhh...It did not happen.

I004: Mother, when you were young what kind of food you have been eating in your family?

P467: When I was young we mostly ate kande but nowadays people are changing the habit of the past and are eating ugali, mother prepares ugali and the children eat to their satisfaction. The men are served in the plates and we all eat together, we liked that.

I004: You eat ugali but everybody using his own plate what about the time you were young? Was everyone using his own plate or you were eating from one dish?

P467: We were eating from the same place.

I004: The women and men?

P467: The women were eating alone, the men were eating alone.

I004: And which foods were you mostly eating by the time you were young?

P467: Kande.

I004: If you leave kande aside, which other type of food?

P467: ugali

I004: The time you were young?

P467: eeeh...

I004: If you leave out ugali, which other type of food?

P467: There were no very many vegetables in our area which people grow so people do not know any other food apart from ugali.

I004: And which types of foods were they eaten once in a while by that time?

P467: Only ugali and kande	.

I004: I mean the types of food you were not eating regularly meaning, you were eating them once in a while when there are some activities?

P467: Kande you mix with beans and eat.

I004: And which types of foods were eaten by special people? Meaning those types of foods were prepared and eaten only by the women or were eaten by only the children? Which types of food were they?

P467: Ugali.

I004: aahh, were the men eating ugali?

P467: They were eating but they mostly liked kande. In that time

I004: And the foods you were using in your homes.... by that time,

P467: Mmmm....

I004: How were you sourcing the food you were eating?

P467: My father brought them.

I004: You said that the father used to bring, so where did he source them?

P467: He was buying them because we were not cultivating any food.

I004: And what about the forest foods? Were you using these foods from the forest?

P467: mmh....

I004: were you using foods from the forest?

P467: mmm....

I004: foods from the forest, were you using them?

P467: We were buying them in home a place called Mugendo and bringing them home.

I004: When I talk about the forest foods, I mean there are those vegetables which are found in the forest, which other people do not use. Meaning you do not buy them like fruits or vegetables which you just collect when you reach the forest when you have gone to collect firewood or when you have gone to look after the cattle and bring them home and use them, Are there these types of foods?

P467: Ohh yes in Maniame we used to find amaranth and we harvest them and brought them home, cook and eat.

I004: When you were young were you eating amaranth?

P467: Ohh yes.

I004: mmh...

P467: There is another vegetable which grow in Maniame it is called “mgage” we used to eat.

I004: What is Maniame?

P467: This is a place where people have moved from, like for example we move from one place to another so the old place will have a lot of manure because we Maasai we live with our cows so the place is fertile that is why we get all this wild vegetables.

I004: And Mother, by the time you were young who was making decision on what to be eaten in the house or where food is gotten from?

P467: My Father.

I004: Father	?

P467: Eeehh...

I004: And by the time you were young who else was making decision together with the father?

P467: The mother.

I004: What about you children, were you involved in decision making?

P467: No, It was not our business, my father and mother will discuss and come up with the solution and our concern was to play.

I004: Okay you told me there were enough milk when you were young compared to nowadays, were you able to sell milk?

P467: People were only drinking milk and make ghee out of milk people did not know how to sell milk.

I004: What about the issue of selling animals, by that time you were young were you trading in selling of the cattle?

P467: Sometimes we were selling cows but not frequent.

I004: Who was making the decision to go and sell cattle’s so as to get money for using at home?

P467: The Father.

I004: Was the mother involved in making the decision by that time?

P467: By that time she was not involved but she was only concerned with milk but not selling off cows.

I004: Mother, by the time you were growing in your community, if a child reaches the certain age people will say this girl or boy has matured so what are the things or indicator of his or her maturity?

P467: You would see the breasts developing.

I004: What would you see..?

P467: I see it's like the breasts are becoming big, you will see that the child has become big.

I004: What about on the men's side?

P467: On the man's side I only see and know that the child has become big.

I004: How do you know? What makes you to know?

P467: His age.

I004: Ahaaa... What are the things that indicate that this is now a mature man?

P467: I see the age or I see his body.

I004: How does his body look like?

P467: It becomes big and he will not want to go to look after the cattle until he is circumcised so that he can become a youth.

I004: Men were taken for circumcision?

P467: Ohh yes.

I004: What about the girls? Were they still going for circumcision?

P467: No.

I004: Or how was it?

P467: The girls are not going.

I004: What about you what made you know that you are now a mature girl?

P467: my breasts were becoming big and I started my menstruation periods.

I004: What about the ceremonies which were performed for the female children, were you exposed to these ceremonies to indicate that you have moved from one stage to another?

P467: Yes.

I004: A ceremony like that? What was it called and how was it performed?

P467: There was a dance, ‘I was danced for’, people were dancing and this indicated that a child has matured. In other cases she could be taken to her husband.

I004: You were danced for?

P467: Eeehhh..

I004: How was it that the parents knew that you will be danced for or what happened to you that made you to go and dance?

P467: I had full breasts and menstruating then I told my mother then they came to dance until I am given out.

I004: So after the dance you go straight to your husband?

P467: Yes if you are danced for then he is supposed to bring the dowry then you go with him.

I004: Well, you have earlier told me that you were born in Kambala and you are living in Kambala I would like to know the people you are living with in your house?

P467: I live with my children and my grandchildren.

I004: Your children and grandchildren?

P467: Eeeehhh...

I004: What about your mother in-law and your cousins?

P467: I only live with my children and grandchildren.

I004: Which activities do you engage yourself in to earn a living?

P467: It is only rearing cattle’s

I004: Apart from keeping the cows which other activity do you engage yourself in to earn a living

P467: None, there is no any other activity we only keep cows and goats

I004: Mother I would like know if there is any changes in life you have seen or experienced in the way you keep your animals now as compared with the past when you were living with your parents?

P467: There is a lot of changes nowadays I am able to educate my children unlike in the past where children were not going to school so now we know the importance of education, the other thing is nowadays I am selling milk so if I have two or three litres of milk I sell and use the money to buy what the children need but in the past I was not able to do that. Currently I have got the idea of selling milk and educating children and up to now we are looking for people to graze the cows so that our children can go to school and you see in the past we did not educate the female children but we are now educating them. eehhh

I004: Mother...what else has made you change your way of life such that you are taking the child to school, to be educated and you have got the idea of selling milk where did you get this training?

P467: We were trained, these days people know God they are going to church in the past they did not go to the church. In the past we did not even know God, we did not know how to pray, we did not even go to church but now people have come to know God ,they know how to read the word of God and I thank God for that because in the past we did not know that even my mother and father does not know all that but I thank God I sell milk and get something to educate my children and I take my cows to the auctions and I sell to educate my children, I am grateful because they are enlightened.

I004: So you have been enlightened from the church?

P467: Mmmm.

I004: Apart from the church, where else have you been enlightened from?

P467: When I go to village gatherings they come to educate people, I now know but in the past I did not know.

I004: Who comes to educate you in these gatherings?

P467: The village police and different people come to teach people on education and the word of God. I can now see people are uplifting one another, in the past they did not educate the children in these days they are educating.

I004: If you say different people who are these people?

P467: Pastors, the village police they teach villagers and it is so good and it uplifts people.

I004: Mother, how are the changes which you are talking about affected you or how have you benefitted from them or how have they benefitted your family?

P467: They have a great benefit because there is a grandchild who is now learning, children are now learning not like in the past, I did not even know if I can sell milk and get food not engaging in one thing like in the past whereby we were depending on milking the cows and taking the milk ourselves and we were not satisfied but now I sell and buy food I eat with the children and get satisfied.

I004: Mother I would like to know the responsibilities and duties of a woman and a man in your household?

P467: The responsibilities of a man is to graze their cattle’s and taking the cattle’s to the actions and sell them in order to buy food and pay school fees for their children. The responsibilities of the mother is to milk and sell the milk in order to buy small things like vegetables even when the husband is not around she will be able to buy soap for washing clothes. Nowadays they do not totally depend on men they know if they do this they get this.

I004: Mother the main responsibilities and duties which you have just mentioned, for the woman and man in your family, how are they different from the one you were doing when you were in your parents’ house?

P467: They are different because in the past it’s only the father who could wake up and go to look for food the mother could not look for it but in these days even if the father is not there the mother can look for food, she can sells milk and use the money to buy food when the husband comes he finds food.

I004: And how have these changes affected you ?

P467: Aahh...they have not affected me in fact it has been good to me and my children and the entire family.

I004: Which benefit did you receive?

P467: We have benefited a lot because my children are now going to school and I also sell milk and buy food and also my husband can sell cows and we combine the money and do some work at home.

I004: And which are the responsibilities and duties of the boys and girls in your household?

P467: The boy's work is to graze I live well for now because I take rice and sometimes bring meat and eat and we progress well here at home but there is a minor problem because last year the cows suffered a lot because of draught so I humbly requesting your programme to provide us with the zero grazing cows because our cows are suffering they walk very far into the forest looking for pastures and water and they have all dried up because of prolonged dry spell.

I004: Mother you have told me that you take rice and nice vegetables	, what about in the past what were you eating?

P467: Those days we used to drink milk, we did not know other foods but I thank God now we can sell milk and use the money to buy vegetables and the other things which I need without the father but we did not know this in the past.

I004: Where did you learn and realise that you should be changing food, where did you realize these things?

P467: I was taught.

I004: Who taught you?

P467: The pastors and also our village police and also other performers in the meeting, they taught us on how to look for food because the Maasai women in the past did not know how to look for food.

I004: And how have these changes, which have taken place, affected you and your community?

P467: They are of great importance in my house hold.

I004: In your household?

P467: Yes in my household because we were depending on one gender but in these days women are empowered so we do not only depending on men.

I004: You have earlier told me that the girls are going to school, which are their other responsibilities which they perform?

P467: They milk.

I004: Which other duties do they perform?

P467: They go to school.

I004: What about on the side of the boys? Do they also go to school?

P467: eeh...

I004: Or they do not go to school?

P467: They go, in these days everybody is going to school.

I004: In your homestead?

P467: Eeeeh...everybody in my homestead is looking for someone to graze so that the children can go to school.

I004: Okay mother when we were here last many people from your community said that different types of food, have greatly changed such that in these days, people have stopped eating one type of food like in the past, they are now eating the foreign foods?

P467: eeeh

I004: I mean in these days the Maasai community are eating fish, meat chicken and others are taking chips and eggs?

P467: Ohh yes.

I004: I would like also want to know if the methods of cooking have changed.

P467: mmh.

I004: In these days people are frying instead of boiling?

P467: Yes.

I004: Which types of food or which forms of preparing the food have changed the one which you have seen?

P467: It has really changed because I have seen people eating chicken, chips enriched with eggs in the past we did not eat eggs in maasai but in these days we are eating chips enriched with eggs, we eat eggs, we eat fish, we eat sardines, vegetables which we did not eat in the past people have now changed their eating habit.

I004: And if you say that they eat chicken, they eat chips enriched with eggs, which specific groups eat these foods?

P467: Both men and women eat these food nowadays.

I004: On the side of the women, which form of eating has really changed for them?

P467: They eat chicken, the maasai were not eating chicken but nowadays they are eating chicken, they are eating chips with eggs in fact they eat all kind food.

I004: What about men, which type of food has changed on their side?

P467: In the past they did not eat Fish, chicken, sardines.

I004: Mother I would like to know the key contributors to these changes in the form of eating and the things which are used to make these food?

P467: I think it is the changes in lifestyle people want to progress.

I004: Aahh. You said people have progress so where do these progresses coming from?

P467: It is through educating the children; if they go to school they are taught by the teacher on how to prepare good food.

I004: Apart from that, what else has made people change the way they eat?

P467: The word of God changes the people.

I004: How has the word of God changed this?

P467: It has made people to eat fish; they are eating chicken they no longer see these food as bad food.

I004: How has the word of God made people run away from this habit?

P467: Now they are very positive in the past they had too many believes and in these days they are not there.

I004: Aah... which other reason do you think has caused the change in the feeding habits?

P467: There isn't any other reason.

I004: You have told me that nowadays people have changed they are now educated, new technology have come up, nowadays people take their children to school and also the word of God has changed people so in all these which one do you think has a big impact towards the changes in the eating habit of the people in your community?

P467: The word of God.

I004: Why are you saying the word of God is the first one to change the eating habits?

P467: I say this because it has come to deliver us from bad habits, because in the past there were bad.

I004: What do you think is the second cause to the changes in the way of eating?

P467: Education.

I004: Education?

P467: Mmmm...

I004: Why are you saying education?

P467: Because in the past we were not eating chicken and fish but after our children told us the importance of this food and it is through education they receive from school.

I004: It is okay mother I would also want to know how people interact. Do you think this is another reason which causes the changes in the way people feeding?

P467: Mmhu...

I004: Like for example how you interact with Pare and Chaggas so through that interaction they copy each other so do you think this is your reason of changing your way of feeding?

P467: No I do not think it is the reason to the changes as far as I know it is the word of God which had a big impact, because when Pare and Chaggas came they did not influence our eating habit but when people start going to the church they change very fast.

I004: Okay mother, what about the price of food? Do you think it is the reason which made people to change the food they eat, for example if a certain food is expensive people will not be able to buy such food so they will buy a better priced food, do you think that is a reason?

P467: Yes, that is a reason because if I am not able to buy such food I buy the one which I am able to buy for example if I go to the market with little money definitely I will buy food which I can afford.

I004: And what about the way of life? I mean the changes in life like these days you are selling milk to get money and you were not doing that in the past? Do you think that is a reason which can make you change your way of eating?

P467: Mmm...

I004: In which way mother?

P467: I t changes because in the past we did not know whether we can sell milk but in these days we know that milk can give you money in the past people were only taking milk and sleeping.

I004: I am grateful mother and I would also want to know, how these changes have affected you and your household because you have mentioned to me very many things including education, religion, price, the way of life so do you think all these reasons that made you change have affected your family?

P467: They have not affected my family.

I004: And how have you benefitted from these changes?

P467: I have benefitted a lot because the children have got good health and also I think I am healthy I thank God for that because in the past the children did not have good health but in these days our health is good and even a person dresses properly.

I004: When you talk of good health, what do you mean mother?

P467: I mean the behaviour in the towns, because my towns or my households did not know anything but in these days the children know about hygiene but they did not know in the past

I004: What else has made people to have good health in your household?

P467: Good food, they change food and the children have good health.

I004: Okay mother, what about your Maasai tribe? What about your traditions, which difficulties have you come across in the way of eating?

P467: The form of eating or our traditions?

I004: In your traditions how have these changes affected you’re eating?

P467: They have not affected us.

I004: Which benefits have you got from your traditions?

P467: We have got benefits because we have left behind our culture, there are beliefs of other people and we do not follow the Maasai culture.

I004: Mother don't you think the changes of food can bring changes or destruction to your traditions and culture such that you do not use them anymore?

P467: They are not in use anymore.

I004: They are not there?

P467: We no longer need our culture. We do not want it.

I004: Why don't you like your culture?

P467: We have been educated and we know that culture is not good.

I004: Mother I would also want to know, or we briefly talk about the issue of milk

P467: Yes

I004: Do you think milk is very important to you?

P467: Milk is very important in many ways if the body lacks milk it also lacks energy because our bodies are used to milk and if children lack milk meaning they will not be healthy even me if I do not drink milk even if a little for preparing tea my eyes will not be able to see.

I004: And how do you prepare your milk so that you can drink?

P467: We use a jug when milking a cow, then we boil it and put it in a calabash then when I want to take milk, I come and drink it and sometimes take together with food.

I004: You have said that was in the past, what about in these days?

P467: Nowadays we boil milk unlike in the past we were not used to boil milk.

I004: And what is the importance of milk in your family?

P467: It is important because if milk is not there a child cannot even sleep until he or she gets milk.

I004: Why are you saying that a child cannot be satisfied, does it mean there are no any other types of vegetables they can have?

P467: Even if my child eats vegetables he must have milk so that he can be happy.

I004: Why is it that the child must only get milk so that he can be happy?

P467: because milk is there.

I004: Mother do you think that milk has a great value or it has a less value or it has the same value with other things, if you compare today's life, with the past when you were young?

P467: Milk is very important all the time.

I004: What is the main reason of saying that milk is very important?

P467: Milk is very important because it gives us very many things. Milk gives us ghee, sour milk and if all this is missing there is a problem.

I004: In your community,	many people have been saying that milk has really reduced and its prices has also changed if you compare with the past years, what do you think are the main reasons which have caused the milk to reduce and the price to change?

P467: What I know is the cows have died because of the drought so there is a reduction in milk production.

I004: Drought?

P467: Drought. The cows have really been affected and died in the process that is why there is no milk.

I004: Why is it that there was prolonged drought?

P467: I do not know because it had rained a little so there were no pastures for the cows to feed on.

I004: What about the changes in the way of keeping the animals, the way of taking care of the animals, do you think this is the reason which made the milk to reduce?

P467: Yes.

I004: How?

P467: That is why I am saying the zero grazing cows are not affected because moving from one forest to another is tiresome that is why they die in the process of looking for pastures and water.

I004: What about the differences, do you think this has made the production of milk to reduce?

P467: mmm

I004: How, mother?

P467: Which differences?

I004: The differences which are happening probably in your village between farmers and the pastoralists do you think they have caused the reduction of milk?

P467: I do not know whether it there because I have not seen any differences this year.

I004: What about last year or last year but one?

P467: There were conflicts between farmers and pastoralist last year until people were killing each other but we thank God this year people live in peace.

I004: And what about the taste of milk do you think that is a reason which contributed to the changes of how people eat?

P467: There was a time milk was in plenty here in Kambala and everybody used to sell milk and things were okay.

I004: You said there were three reasons to these changes, drought, and minor differences and also the way we keep our animals, which one do you think is the major cause to the availability of milk?

P467: It is dying of the cows.

I004: dying of cows?

P467: Eeee

I004: What about the second cause?

P467: I have said the cows have really died because of hunger.

I004: Yes and I agree with that, what do you think it is the second reason?

P467: Hunger has made the cows to suffer in the forest because there were no pasture, there is no water, and the cows are dying the cows are affected by drought.

I004: What about the changes in the way you keep your cows, do you think this is also a reason which is making the milk to reduce?

P467: There are no cows?

I004: Why?

P467: The cows are not there.

I004: why is it that there are no cows?

P467: They have died	.

I004: Okay, I am grateful for your good answers, I would also want us to briefly talk about buying of foods, who has the mandate of going to buy food for use in your household?

P467: Men

I004: In your household?

P467: In my household I also go to buy but the man is the one who mainly buys food for the family.

I004: Which types of foods do you buy?

P467: We buy maize and mill in order to get flour and rice. I thank God because in the morning I change food it is not one type of food.

I004: And who makes the decision that these amount of money is to be used to buy food?

P467: It is the father.

I004: And who makes the final decision that this amount of money will be used for food at home?

P467: It is the father.

I004: Who else makes the decision together with the father?

P467: The mother

I004: Is your family involved in the decision making?

P467: the Man of the house (father) is the one who calls the mother and tells her to go and bring this and that type of food.

I004: And which changes have you seen in the buying of food now and the time you were living with your parents? Are there any differences you have seen or experienced in the way the way of buying it?

P467: Ohh yes, these days food vendors goes to people’s home to sell food like vegetables unlike in the past where we had to go to the market.

I004: What about buying of food such as maize, rice, sorghum and millet do you see any changes now as compared with the past when you were young?

P467: There are changes because in the past he did not know where he can get food nowadays he knows where he can get good food

I004: What about things like beans, groundnuts and vegetables?

P467: We have in our markets nowadays.

I004: What about fruits?

P467: There is, we eat bananas, oranges, mangoes.

I004: What about the distance to the market if you were to compare now and when you were living with your parents?

P467: Nowadays we use motorbikes so if you live far you board a motorbike to go to the market unlike in the past we used to walk long distance.

I004: And what has enlightened you such that nowadays you are eating fruits and vegetables?

P467: Through education our children brought fruits then they told us to eat and we ate and found them nice.

I004: And which types of food do you prepare for your family?

P467: I buy maize flour and mill it and also rice.

I004: Leaving behind maize flour for preparing ugali which other types of foods do you prepare for your family?

P467: In these days I know how to prepare all types of food.

I004: Mother I would like us to talk about the choice of food to prepare you have been preparing for your family?

P467: I cook ugali.

I004: I would like us to talk about the specific things that drives you or triggers you, to cook the food you want to cook, probably you want to cook cassava or rice or ugali so, what makes you cook these foods?

P467: My children.

I004: The children?

P467: Yes, because sometimes they say mom ‘we do not want this food’ cook this one.

I004: How do the children affirm on the type of food you will cook?

P467: Sometimes they say they don’t want to eat ugali and if it’s cooked they won't eat, so I have to change that food.

I004: Which other reason can make you cook what you cook?

P467: The father, he can say do not cook this type of food cook that food, and I have no choice I will cook what he wants.

I004: How does the father make you to cook this or that food?

P467: if he is fed up of taking the same type of food he can tell the mother to stop cooking a certain food and tell her to cook another one.

I004: Apart from this reason, what else makes you cook what you cook?

P467: If I do not want that food, I cook the one I want that day.

I004: Which other reason apart from this one?

P467: If there is plenty of food at home, we can cook that food that day.

I004: Which other reason?

P467: There isn't any other reason.

I004: You have mentioned many reasons mother You have told me the children can make you to cook what you cook, the father can decide what you should cook,	yourself but you have also mentioned the availability of food,

P467: mmm.

I004: I would also like to know, the easiness of cooking food, do you think this is one of the reasons that propel you to cook what you cook?

P467: What?

I004: The simplicity, is it a reason which make you cook what you are cooking?

P467: Eeeh.

I004: Why?

P467: If it is rice because I do not stir I cook that one.

I004: What about the taste do you think is the reason which makes you cook what you cook?

P467: Eeeh..

I004: Why?

P467: What is taste? Is it eating?

I004: When you feel the food is nice and sweet when you are eating.

P467: When I feel the food is nice I will still cook the same type of food again

I004: And what about the affordable prices of food, do you think that is a reason which can make you cook what you cook?

P467: Ohh yes, because if the price is affordable, we buy it and cook that food.

I004: Mother you have mentioned many reasons; one is children's suggestion, the decision of the father, yourself, availability of the food,	simplicity of the food, taste and also affordable price all this will make you cook what you cook.

P467: Yes.

I004: So among this which one do you think is the first and the main reason which makes you cook whatever you cook?

P467: Good food is the one I cook if my family likes rice I will cook every day.

I004: What do you think is the second reason which makes you cook whatever you cook?

P467: The second reason?

I004: Yes, the ones you have mentioned like your children’s choice, fathers suggestion, your own choice, availability of food, the simplicity of cooking food and affordable price so what do you think is the second reason?

P467: Eeeh, the second reason is food which is liked by my children.

I004: The third reason?

P467: Another reason is if the food which is easy to cook.

I004: Another reason?

P467: The other reason is if I like the food.

I004: Another reason?

P467: Only that.

I004: What about the food availability and affordability?

P467: If the food is affordable then I will buy that food almost every day.

I004: Mother, you have said several reasons but if I look at them there are some reasons which are very important and others are not very important?

P467: Mmmm.

I004: Starting with the ones, very important one has said the taste?

P467: Eeee.

I004: Then your children’s preference.

P467: Eeee.

I004: You have also said the Easiness of cooking food,

P467: Eeee.

I004: Do you think these makes you cook the way you cook?

P467: I only cook to eat, if there is no food my children will die.

I004: Are you able to give me an example on how the children make you cook the way you cook?

P467: Eee, because if my children are hungry I will just cook so that they can have something to feed on.

I004: What about the taste? How does the taste make you cook what you cook can you give me example?

P467: I cook because I like that food so if the food is good and I like it then I will cook the food.

I004: And what about the simplicity in cooking the food?

P467: Mmm.

I004: How does this make you cook whatever you are cooking?

P467: I cook because of my children cannot sleep without eating.

I004: The easiness of cooking the food, how does it make you cook that food, are you able to tell me an example of food which is simple to cook and makes you cooking often?

P467: If the food is nice and easy to cook then I will cook.

I004: Mother, which food is simple and easy to cook and you cook it several times?

P467: Rice.

I004: Why is it easy to cook rice?

P467: You put on the cooker and you do not stir like other food.

I004: And why is it that the price of food and availability of food are the last things that makes you cook whatever you cook starting with the availability of food?

P467: Food is very important and people must eat every day so if there is no food what can I cook, but if there is food it means that I will have to cook because stomach needs food every day.

I004: Okay mother, we have completed that part, we are coming to another part which is concerned with the strategies and ways of withstanding food shortage, so in which season was there a food shortage if you were compare when you were living with you parents and now you have your own home?

P467: I remember those days food were sourced far away and there were no bicycles and motorbikes so when the food got finished It took time to replenish unlike nowadays there is motorbikes we can use to go to the market.

I004: Have you experienced food shortage in your community?

P467: Yes, last year but one when the cows were dying because of drought.

I004: What about when you were young?

P467: Ohh yes there was a time people did not have food so we were given relief food

I004: When was it?

P467: I do not remember when?

I004: Which year was that?

P467: Mhh I do not remember the year I was very young I think the time we used to eat ugali made from yellow maize flour.

I004: Is it the time you were eating ugali made from yellow maize flour (Yanga)?

P467: Eeeeh.

I004: What did your parents do to secure food?

P467: They depended on relief food.

I004: Which other ways did your parents use to secure food apart from the relief food from the Government?

P467: None, people used to feed on boiled cow's blood.

I004: The cow’s blood?

P467: eeeh

I004: What about selling of the animals in order to buy food?

P467: There wasn't any where to sell the cows.

I004: What about slaughtering the cows so that you can eat the meat?

P467: Yes, people were eating; there was a time men were eating at the forest.

I004: You mean when you had food shortage, were you slaughtering cows to get food?

P467: Mmmm, cows were slaughtered.

I004: Okay, who was the most affected when there was food shortage?

P467: Women.

I004: Women?

P467: Mmmm.

I004: Why are you saying women were mostly affected?

P467: They were eating intestines when a cow was slaughtered they were given intestines.

I004: And for how long did you experience food shortage?

P467: I do not know we were very young I do not remember well.

I004: And what made you lack food?

P467: Hunger.

I004: What was the cause of hunger?

P467: Cows were dying because there were no pastures due to the lack of rain.

I004: Okay mother, what about nowadays have you experienced food shortage?

P467: last year but one was very bad because cattle’s died due to the lack of pastures, people were really affected.

I004: And for how long did it last?

P467: Drought?

I004: For how many months?

P467: Three months.

I004: Three months?

P467: Mmmm.

I004: What did you overcome this situation in your family?

P467: We overcame the hunger.

I004: I Mean what did you do or how did you help yourself?

P467: We were helped by God because we were few and we used to sell the calf and the money we get we buy food.

I004: Which other way did you use apart from selling the cows?

P467: we used to sell milk to people and the money I got I buy food.

I004: And did your family change their food portions meaning if they were eating a little they change to a lot and vice versa?

P467: Of course we had to change or food portions to a little but we thank God we are past that because it was not a good experience.

I004: Who was the most affected person?

P467: Me

I004: You?

P467: Eeee.

I004: Why you?

P467: Because I did not have a husband so I was the only one providing food for my family my husband was dead by that time.

I004: So you do not have a husband?

P467: I do not have, my husband has died, and I live with the children

I004: Okay mother	when you were living with your family, who was the most affected?

P467: Me.

I004: You?

P467: Because I could see my grandchildren and my children and I had no food to eat and I could not stay without taking milk and by that time there wasn't even a quarter.

I004: Why can't you stay without taking milk even a little?

P467: I am used to drink milk since I was born.

I004: Okay mother I would like to know if the techniques you used to overcome hunger when those days you were young and now that you have your own family if they are the same or different?

P467: Of course it was different.

I004: Mhhh tell me.

P467: On my side it was a bit challenging because I am the only one providing food for the children, in the past I did not suffer because my father was providing food for us.

I004: We are almost coming to the end of our conversation but i would like us to briefly discuss about	the issue of education, food, how you feed and Nutrition in your family where and how do you get information about nutrition, what to feed, types of food the issue of education and also health matters?

P467: I have got it from my child who is in secondary school; he has really helped us if it was not for him the family could be suffering.

I004: How has his education helped you?

P467: He is educated.

I004: How has the education helped you? How has the education which was brought to you by your child helped you?

P467: He is working.

I004: The Knowledge he brought?

P467: Eee.

I004: How has it helped you?

P467: It has helped us free from hunger because he works and brings food.

I004: What about the issue of feeding how has his knowledge helped you?

P467: It has made us healed and we have got money to buy food.

I004: Mother, I would also like to know if information about the food, health can be helpful to you and your family.

P467: We are satisfied and also we are in good health.

I004: How can the information reach out to you, how do you think it should be conducted so that the Kambala’s Community can get this information about food, nutrition and also health matters?

P467: You should train us.

I004: How can we train you?

P467: Through you.

I004: Through us?

P467: Eeee.

I004: We organise for meetings, or we broadcast it in the radios,

P467: You conduct seminars so that we can all hear and get the information.

I004: Where ca we do that is it in churches or in schools or in health center?

P467: if it is a meeting we shall decide where it will conducted whether in church or in schools.

I004: How best should these seminars be organised so that you can get the teachings?

P467: You organise for us.

I004: We organise for you?

P467: Eeee.

I004: How should we organise so that you can listen to them?

P467: People should discuss a place which is convenient and organize how the news will reach out to people in the village.

I004: Okay mother, whom do you think should bring this information so that you can get it a person you trust that if he/she brings the information you will understand it?

P467: You.

I004: Us?

P467: Eeee.

I004: Apart from us who else do you think can provide that information?

P467: Village elders can call people for the meeting and you can teach us.

I004: Okay,	I am grateful mother for the good conversation we have now come to the end of our conversation	thank you very much mother.

P467: Eeee... thank you very much.