beams stick out of the clay walls at intervals they are very decorative but that s not the aim it s not african art being used to beautifying adorn the bare walls the beams. have a thoroughly practical purpose. every time the rain comes drumming down onto the clay walls the building suffer a lot of damage as long as it s dry the sun bakes the clay hard in the walls are strong but in the rainy season the clay gets softened and washes away the workers who have to repair the damage use these beams like the rungs of a ladder to climb up the walls the use of beams is typical of the mud or adobe architecture of the region each house has its own built in scaffolding for the repairs everyone knows will be needed later.