WHAT IS AN ECOVILLAGE

WHAT IS AN ECOVILLAGE?

When we speak on our project recently, which was revived in the last month, we are often having to explain what an ecovillage is.

Sometimes spelled, eco village, an ecovillage is officially defined as  "a community whose inhabitants seek to live according to ecological principles causing as little impact on the environment as possible." What we hope that looks like is what we have been planning to create these last couple of years. 

Our ecovillage aims to follow the ecological principles of permaculture while providing homes for no more than forty families. It will be a source of refuge, a place to learn, a source of food and so much more.

The inhabitants, also known as the ecovillagers, will have a united view on ecological, social-economic and cultural values. As green-minded people, the ecovillages will consciously seek alternatives to the lifestyles that are wasteful or contribute to the destruction of our natural habitat.

Our ecovillage will be a deliberate  community of middle class Kenyans that will use the space as a rural home built to be a green example for others willing to learn a new regenerative social and environmental option in Kenya. Where the desert creeps forward, the ecovillage aims to create an oasis that will greenify the dry landscape of Kajiado County as it matures.

The different ecovillages around the world may operate differently, some are a solution for orphans, and others have created a barter system or their own currency, but are solidly rooted in the some, if not all, the principles laid out in Robert & Diane Gilman's Ecovillages and Sustainable Communities.

We aim to value and practice community living by not only finding solutions that meet our needs (water, food & shelter) we will be a source of green knowledge to the communities near by. So, as a planned community, we will generate sources of income for the village, e.g. selling our produce, offering classes, but also ensure that especially in the early years, each owner contributes to the planning, progress and infrastructure as part of a team as well as part of a collective financial source.

With any luck, you will see our ecovillage be the sustainable community that we want our children's children to be able to take part in. With the principle in place, it is a reality ready to happen.

Learn more about our plan! Email us today!

THE FUTURE YOU SEE IS THE FUTURE YOU GET!

The EcoVillage Project Kenya is not just another housing development project. It is not just about bricks and mortar, this one has heart!

Including the number of interested potential owners, EcoVillage Project Kenya also has in its team green building architects; energy and sustainable solution managers; permaculturists; financiers; marketers and a writer. Every one of us desires to create the perfect space that balances the needs and wants of the group.

So, maybe it was not surprising to find a number of us taking part in a holistic brainstorming session that would draw out our true direction. A solid foundation is step one. Ecovillages around the world have failed because they did not take the time to ensure that all members were on the same page. 

At first, the approach seemed a little too new-age for some, but by the end of the day, it was clear that the clarity in our intentions would strengthen our vision and have us build a model worth replicating across the country. And as such, in order to build what could be, we had to understand that in order to regain a sense of community from a life of individual living we had to find a common ground of understanding.

So, what kind of life do we want to create for ourselves and our potential owners?

After much deliberation, the above flow chart illustrated the quality of life we desired. A potential owner could experience a space that offered a better world for their children, for example. Or an affordable access to a beautiful retreat that offered peace, tranquillity and a place to connect with nature. For some, the EcoVillage offers a home that provides organic produce and financial sustainability. All of this is possible.

A successful ecovillage is a community that is built on the right foundation at the very start. Having each member aware of the needs of the whole from the start. With that in mind, forward thinking to ten-years had us dreaming up our vision of the EcoVillage.



We concluded our brainstorming session with a little pep in our step. Who would not get excited with all of what is possible. After all, Robert G. Allen once said, "the future you see is the future you get". And this is the EcoVillage Project Kenya's possible future.