Design approaches for community development in Kenya. A case study of Wamunyu handicrafts community in Machakos County.

Abstract

Design is increasingly becoming a very important vehicle for community development especially in the rural areas where resources are limited. This role is highly linked to the rich interaction between religion, art and culture in Africa. Africa thrives well through networks formed by different cultures, customs, history and people spirit of togetherness. It is in such setups that handicraft communities thrives well. Design approaches provide ways in which communities can develop socially, economically and environmentally using sustainable and creative methods. Sustainability in the process being achieved through the continued benefits to the communities. This paper is aimed at exploring ways in which design can play a key role in the process of developing sustainable communities from inception to full implementation. It also explores the barriers for the uptake of community development initiatives in the design profession in Africa. Qualitative analysis and case studies are the major research strategies used. Wamunyu area is used as the case study of a handicraft community existing in Machakos County. Wamunyu is a representative of a rural community in Kenya that have developed around craft production significant in the region. Data collected from archives, interviews and published reports for this purpose. This paper concludes that design plays an important role in the development of sustainable communities especially in the rural areas. The innovative use of design approaches today ensures a smooth transition for design use in Africa’s problems tomorrow.