Building Rapport, Network & Collaborative Partnership

By Author: Sherry Roberts
Total Articles: 81
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Introduction
Cultural practices and ways of life have greatly been challenged by changes in business, technology and community developments. Increasing population, as well as cost of living, is demanding alternative sources of income. Various communities should realize that relying on traditional sources of income cannot prepare future generations for the productive adult hood. Civilization through education is one of the immediate solutions that can provide support to families and community at large. Collaborating with international, government, and non-government agencies are one of most suitable for making services accessible to youths and families. Linking with well-wishers, and support teams can enhance the building of community schools as one of key factors and approaches towards development.
Demographics of Maasai Community
The Maasai community of Eastern Africa is located in Northern Kenya and Northern Tanzania along the Great Rift Valley which is characterized by arid and semi-arid lands. Maasai live as a group of extended family in a circular structure called kraal. Each Kraal is surrounded ...
... by a circular fence made of acacia thorns for preventing lions from attacking their cattle. History of Maasai (Maasai Association, 2015).
Maasai originated from North of Lake Turkana North West Kenya along the lower Nile valley. They started migrating towards the south in the 15th century. They arrived in the lands stretching across Tanzania and towards Northern Kenya in 17th and 18th century. Their settlement becomes dominant in size when they occupied areas along the Great Rift Valley. They extended towards Dodoma and Mount Marsabit (Maasai Association, 2015).
Cultural and Economic Practices
It is the responsibility of men to built kraals while women built houses, collect firewood, supply water, milk cattle and cook for the family. Maasai houses are loaf shaped comprised of mud, sticks, glass cows dung and cow’s urine. Maasai have a group of young people called warriors who are in charge of security they collaborate with boys to help in herding livestock. Elders are advisors and directors of daily activities. The way of life of Maasai is semi-nomadic. They depend on livestock such as cattle, goats, and sheep as a primary source of income. Livestock keeping serves as a main social utility which is used to facilitate most of the social utilities. Livestock is traded for other livestock, cash and livestock products (Maasai Association, 2015).
Social Issues among Maasai
However, due to changes in the economy as well as increased growth of population, which has led to smaller pieces of land, has forced some Maasai people have been involved in trade and farming. In the trade, they mainly sell beads, clothing, and grains. In farming, they grow maize, rice, potatoes, and cabbages. Major challenges among Maasai are civilization. The community is facing social, economic and political challenges because of lack of proper education. Most of the young people are not educated. Children drop out of school to join others in herding. Lack of school fees and money to buy school uniform is a major challenge for those who attempt to join schools. Their regions are poorly developed with most of the individuals becoming beggars. Over reliance of livestock, lack of enough education and manipulation by wealthy members of the community is making the entire community experience poor standards of living (Maasai Association, 2015).
Ways of Building Rapport with Members of Community
The strategies that should be implemented to civilize Maasai community include mobilizing the community to collaborate with partners who are able and willing to assist the community in utilizing community resources to establish schools. The partnership should involve using neighboring schools as well as government facilities and equipment such as teachers to start formal learning within the community (Patty, Grace, Cindy, Norma, Beverly, & David, 1995). The community should participate in operations such as collaborative fund raising and volunteer assistance in an attempt to establish structures where children can acquire education. The community leaders in the region need to be assisted in requesting for grant applications that can assist children who are learning (Yelena, 2017). The community should collaborate with professionals in livestock keeping for mentorship program and training on how to keep and control number of livestock. The training should focus on introducing methods of controlling over grazing, through the introduction of ranches. Livestock officers should work closely with the community to create awareness about the importance of ranches.
The existing structure of organization and sharing of duties should be used to help in reducing individual groups problems. Organization of young warriors should be organized for training to provide important services to the community. The process of building trust with the community, involved teams should be trained on ways to build a sense of the community through providing them with alternative courses in line with their practices. Such courses should enroll youths in veterinary practice centers and educate them for jobs as veterinary officers (Patty, Grace, Cindy, Norma, Beverly, & David, 1995). The process of building trust with elders responsible for giving guidance should be equipped with skills, knowledge, and awareness on strategic planning as well as public relations education to help them lead more professionally.
Establishing Networks
The process of reducing nomadic behavior involves establishing a network of relationships within the community. First, the county agencies should establish centralized centers that deal with community health, children and family services, replace warriors with police for security, and establish the office of education (Kit, 2016). Youths and young generation should be actively involved in service clubs, foundations, and organizations. Entire society should have systems such as boys and girls clubs, scouts club and children advocacy center. Such organization guarantees full attention to the youths and providing better opportunities for learning and developing their society. Artists and cultural institutions should be established for promoting individuals who make beads and other cultural utilities to do their work as professionals. Women and men should be provided with social groups such men and women groups for educating them and uniting them (Kit, 2016). The groups should keep them connected, united and with a common purpose. Men and women should be involved in development groups such as financial institutions like banks and Saccos. Such institutions can enhance the provision of capital as loans, savings or interests which can be used as fees in educating children (Kit, 2016).
Conclusion
The strategies discussed involving collaborating and bringing together a nomadic community is purposing to promote education as a social aspect of our society. Education provides a solution to the community through rising living standards among families and children. Through establishing learning institutions and partners to enforce development programs is a way of establishing permanent alternative sources of income rather than relying on livestock as a means of livelihood.

References
Kit R. (2016). How To: Create Partnerships with Parents and Families. The Maasai People. Building Home, School, Community Partnerships: The Planning Phase.Building Community-Schools Relationships (communityschools).

Sherry Roberts is the author of this paper. A senior editor at Melda Research in online nursing papers. If you need a similar paper you can place your order for a custom research paper from legitimate research paper writing service services.