Page 89 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 1

ISSUE ONE | JULY/AUG
using natural materials where They use tyres from the local don’t have to do everything here,”
possible, and are now incorporating community to create swales to says Mwanase.
the use of recycled bottles to make help in combating soil erosion.
the structures longer lasting, while Distant Relatives is also a
minimizing the use of cement in They’re actively engaged in backpackers destination and one
their constructions. educating its staff, guests, local key signature backpackers feature
community and anyone interested that Distant Relatives incorporates
They separate, and encourage – young and old, in waste that is activities. A visit to the eco-
guests to separate, waste into management, sustainability and lodge and you will find a list of
organic, non-organic and oils and permaculture. activities that you can engage in
either compost the organic waste that are in harmony with the three
or feed it to their poultry. They also In short, sustainability is a lifestyle pillars of Distant Relatives; be it a
use recycled roofing materials, for Distant Relatives. Mwanase weekly beach clean-up with guests
scrap wood and garden waste in says, “We want to be a model, we and local community, a tour of
their composting. They feed some want our systems to be replicated, and dinner at the village, beach
of their compost to a commercial we don’t want to be the only place volleyball or a permaculture tour,
scale worm farm and use the that’s conscious of the community Distant Relatives works hard to
vermiliquid and worm castings in or the environment. We do want to ensure that its guests can spend
their garden and tree nursery. inspire others in what we’re doing positive time interacting with each
so the more people want to be other and the local community.
They harvest rainwater for use in part of the conversation, come in Their section of the beach is one of
showers, kitchen and swimming and learn about it talk to us about the cleanest I have seen, whatever
pool and channel ‘grey water’ from doing it.” they’re doing, it’s working.
sinks and showers to their ‘banana
circles’, while kitchen water is Community On a personal note, Distant
filtered through artificial reed beds Distant Relatives is an inclusive Relatives stands out as an example
and used for irrigation. space with regard to its of a vision set out that has been
guests, offering a variety of followed through with conviction.
All the wood used for furniture is accommodation options for Africa is not short of ideas or
either up-cycled from old boats, different budgets; from camping passion, this is a real live example
driftwood, or non-native and/or to dorm rooms, private rooms and of what is possible with day by day
invasive species and reassembled bandas. “All of the employees are follow through, regardless of the
by local fundis (handymen). from this surrounding community cost.
like Malindi, Kilifi for the most part.
Leaves and other plant matter are We try to find the local partners to
gathered and scattered around work with who can do the taxis,
the compound to create a layer of who can do the transfers, who can
mulch. do the sunset sails, we don’t have
our own boat just sitting there,
Human waste is collected, patiently we’ll do a rotation through different
composted, spending as much as captains, a little village tour if you
six months in the sun and is then want to go for a walk, do some
turned into fertilizer, restoring the drumming, have some dinner, do
soil’s fertility in the gardens around that with the local community, we
the property.

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