Kenya

Community Description
Kyamue Village is located in the lower half of Eastern Province in Kenya. The area is referred to as Ukambani because it is largely inhabited by the Akamba tribe.

The Lower Eastern Province of Kenya consists of mostly semi-arid areas with around 70% of its population relying on livestock and agriculture farming as their only source of income. Close to 95% of the community's population plant maize and beans twice a year as sustenance for their family and to supplement their other household income.

Unfortunately, like most semi-arid areas, water accessibility is a problem. In addition, the area is very prone to drought with the long rains (March through May) becoming increasingly more unreliable. During times of drought it becomes incredibly difficult for families to harvest enough food to feed themselves as well as earn the money needed to send their children to school.

Generally, people draw their water from the nearby river which involves creating somewhat of a well by digging below the surface of the sand to get "clean" water. Unfortunately, this water is often contaminated because people will reuse these wells instead of digging a new one and people also bring their livestock to the river to drink from these wells.

Project Description
This project is to build a rainwater catchment system to capture and store water for drinking, household use, and irrigation.

The project will be carried out by the Talmmak Self-Help Group (SHG). The group was able to acquire an 8,000-liter tank to be used for rainwater catchment but was left without gutters required to actually catch the rainwater.

The rainwater that will be collected will be potable, and will represent a vast improvement over the existing sources.

Last year, the members of the SHG were able to construct a greenhouse as an income-generating activity (IGA) through the local community-based organization (CBO). They started by planting tomatoes and selling them throughout the surrounding community. Recently, they also began planting onions and garlic. The captured water will be used to irrigate the crops during the rainy season.

During the dry seasons, they will be able to fetch the poorer quality water from the river to use in the greenhouse's irrigation system, thus leaving the clean rainwater solely for drinking water and other household needs.

Appropriate Projects funds will be used to buy the materials needed for the gutters and piping, as well as a drip irrigation kit. The gutters will assure the group is not without water during the rainy seasons while the drip irrigation will help to regulate the amount of water being used making those taxing trips to and from the river less frequent.

The group will be responsible for purchasing the needed materials and then finding a mason who is capable of putting up the gutters, and if needed, another artisan to install the drip irrigation kit. The group will assist with the installation where they can, and at least two group members will be trained on how to properly maintain the drip irrigation kit.

Project Impact
This project will directly benefit about 200 people, the group members and their families, and indirectly affect the remainder of the community, about 300 more people, by providing them with fresh vegetables within the area.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Laken Rippentrop

Comments
This project will ensure that there will be a nearly constant supply of fresh and clean drinking water, and also abundant water for maintaining the community garden.

Dollar Amount of Project
$510.00

Donations Collected to Date
$510.00

Dollar Amount Needed
$0.00 - This project has been fully funded, through the generosity of the Elmo Foundation.

We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify the Peace Corps Volunteer of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by the PCV and/or those of other PCVs in the country of service.

Community Description
The Murram community is a rural area of approximately 2,000 people. This is an agricultural-based community focused primarily on growing vegetables and raising dairy cattle. Most families in the area live well below the poverty line and survive only on small-scale subsistence farming.

When unable to own land, many in the area will often support themselves and their families by working as farm hands and as house workers. These are typically the poorest and the most numerous people in the area and are often burdened with the most work.

This area also has a very limited community infrastructure: there are currently no public schools, no community health center, no community market, and only two small shops of limited household supplies.

Access to clean water is always a significant challenge to the Murram area. Unclean water has led to a number of waterborne diseases and public health issues. There are currently no public boreholes and no developed water springs within the area.

The main source of water for the community is centrally-located public water well. However, this is an underdeveloped and unsecure water source that is frequently contaminated and has actually led to the death of several local animals. It is also said to be one of the biggest dangers to area children even though it is often the children who are sent to fetch water. Despite these issues this well is still the main source of water for the community and is often the only source of water during the 4-month dry season.

Project Description
This project is for the installation of a new public water pump over an unsecured public water well. Specifically, this is the installation a reciprocating hand pump that has been specially designed to meet the requirements for “village level operations” as specified by international development organizations.

The pump is able to pump up to 1,300 liters of water per hour and is suitable for continuous operation over long periods. It is made of rugged, all-galvanized steel for corrosion resistance and long life, is simple to operate at the village level, and is designed for ease of maintenance with basic tools and cheap, readily available parts.

The project also includes the reinforcement of the current water well in order to prevent any future contamination.

Project funding will cover the entire cost of construction, construction materials, and installation.

The Murram Community Group, representing the leadership of the Murram area, will direct the project. Installation is expected to take one week. A construction manager and a finance manager have been designated to keep the project on schedule and under budget.

Project Impact
Approximately 2,000 people will benefit from this project.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Brian Shultzabarger

Comments
The new water pump will provide the Murram community with improved access to clean water and reduce the prevalence of waterborne diseases resulting from the unsecured water well.

Dollar Amount of Project
$555.00

Donations Collected to Date
$555.00

Dollar Amount Needed
$0.00 - This project has been fully funded, through the generosity of the Elmo Foundation.

We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify the Peace Corps Volunteer of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by the PCV and/or those of other PCVs in the country of service.

Community Description
Misikhu Friends Secondary School is a boarding school for boys and girls and one of the main upper-level schools for the surrounding multi-community area.

The school is situated within a rural, agricultural area and serves a wide area of community youth. Currently, there are over 560 students enrolled and the school is expecting to expand its capacity by 200 over the next year. The school is a non-profit organization and currently raises money through school fees, government subsidies, and parent contributions.

In addition to diseases like typhoid and malaria, many water-borne illnesses affect both the school and surrounding area.

Recently, community pressure has begun to push for a more gender-segregated education system throughout the area and has encouraged schools to begin separating out boys and girls during classroom lessons. Additionally, Misikhu Friends Secondary has experienced an increase in student enrollment due to its local affordability and quality of education. Because of local pressure and the growth in student population Misikhu Friends has recently built a new, girls-only classroom and compound facility.

However, since this is a new construction there is currently no efficient water catchment system to take advantage of the available rainfall. Even though the area experiences heavy rains for almost 8 months out of the year, the secondary girls are currently required to fetch and carry water from an adjacent school for drinking and washing.

Project Description
This project is for the construction of a new rainwater catchment and storage system at the newly constructed girl’s classroom. Guttering and piping will be fixed along the building in order to channel rainwater directly into a nearby water tank. A brick wall will be constructed around the tank in order to provide security and insulation of the water, and a water tap will be fitted for easy access.

Funding for the project will be used for the cost of labor and materials, including a heavy-duty plastic water tank, bricks, sand, waterproof cement, ballast, stone, plastic piping, water taps, gate valves and gutters.

A committee of teachers and staff will be responsible for the management and completion of the project. The work will be completed by a team of 2 certified masons and 5 laborers. Construction is expected to last 2 weeks.

Project Impact
Approximately 250 secondary school girls will benefit from the project.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Brian Shultzabarger

Comments
A new water catchment system will provide the students a permanent solution to water access and will reduce water-borne infections and diseases.

This is a necessary project for the health and wellbeing of the girls at the school. It uses the appropriate technology to benefit from the unique climactic conditions and available resources.

Brian previously successfully completed the Savannah Water Spring Project – Kenya and the Mwiruti Water Spring Project – Kenya.

Dollar Amount of Project
$555.00

Donations Collected to Date
$555.00

Dollar Amount Needed

$0.00 - This project has been fully funded, through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.

We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Peace Corps Volunteer Brian Shultzabarger of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by Brian and/or those other PCVs in the country of service.

This project has been finished. To read about the conclusion of the project, CLICK HERE.

Community Description
Oloolaimutia is generally a very impoverished community. It is situated in a very remote, rural region of Kenya near the border of Tanzania and southeast border of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.

The main sources of income for people living in Oloolaimutia vary in that the greater portion of the population of 5,000 (consisting mainly of people from the Maasai Tribe) depends on livestock and land ownership as their main source of financial security. In contrast to this, most of the people that make up the population of 2,000 (consisting mainly of people from the other tribes of Kenya) living in the town center makes their living from business.

Finally, there is a moderate proportion of the population (both Maasai and non-Maasai) that derive their incomes mainly from tourism, as the village of Oloolaimutia is located at a gate of the Maasai Mara National Reserve and receives tourists on a semi-regular basis.

In Oloolaimutia there is one government office (consisting of two rooms) and one police building located in the town center. There is also the Narok County Council Facility located just inside the national reserve near the gate.

In terms of education, there are two schools, a public school and the recently constructed primary school, Mara Shiners Academy.

As the village is located in a semi-arid climate, the presence of water is scarce. The only water taps located within the town center, of which there are four, are fed from a protected spring high in the hills. Of the four taps, two are private (one located at a cultural village for tourists, the other at another tourist stop in town) and two are public (the one located at Enkitoria Community Dispensary and another located near there, which was installed by Enkitoria Community Dispensary and is operated and maintained by the community itself). For the people living in town center the entirety of their water comes from these two public taps.

For the population living outside town center, their water comes from two sources. The first source is seasonal rivers and streams. During rainy season it is possible for people get all the water they need from these and for a couple months after the rains stop it is possible to find water by digging into the river and stream beds. Outside of the rainy season and those few months, however, people must walk, often many kilometers, to town center to get water from the two taps.

There are currently five health centers operating in the town center, one of which is Enkitoria Community Dispensary. It is important to note that Enkitoria is the only non-private, community institution and is responsible for the vaccinations of children under five and the vast majority of the care of pregnant mothers that occurs in the community.

In general, most of what the health centers in Oloolaimutia treat is upper respiratory infection, common colds, burns, and wound infections. They also see and treat on occasion tuberculosis, malaria (seasonally), typhoid, and fungal infections. Much of what is seen can be attributed to unclean water and the lack of healthy hygiene practices.

The current tap at Enkitoria Community Dispensary has been in place for 10 years and has recently undergone damage from heavy use. Only minimal repairs have been done during this period. Currently, the damage results in heavy water leakage and the tap will have to be shut down unless repairs are made.

Mara Shiners Academy currently has no water source for students or teachers to clean their hands after using the toilet.

Project Description
This project is composed of two parts. The first is the reconstruction of the tap at Enkitoria Community Dispensary. The second is the construction of a new tap at Mara Shiners Academy. Both are located on Enkitoria Community Dispensary property, which is situated on the outskirts of Oloolaimutia town center.

To repair the Enkitoria Community Dispensary tap, some of the old concrete will be removed, a new pipe will be fitted and new concrete will be placed around the pipes. While the old concrete is removed and the pipes of the Enkitoria Community Dispensary tap are exposed a T-pipe will be fitted. From this T, pipes will be run approximately 60 meters to the Mara Shiners Academy. At Mara Shiners Academy, a new tap will be constructed with a concrete wash basin (essentially a sink).

The work will be done by the builder who constructed the Mara Shiners Academy. He has over ten years of experience and has proven, having done many construction and water related jobs in the area, that he is reliable and fair.

The project will be managed by the Peace Corps Volunteer, and his supervisor (who is responsible for starting the Enkitoria Community Dispensary, its water tap, and the other public water tap in town). They have also sought ideas and advice from the boards of directors for both the Enkitoria Community Dispensary and the Mara Shiners Academy in regard to this project.

Project Impact
By fixing the Enkitoria Community Dispensary tap the entire population of approximately 5,000 people of Oloolaimutia will benefit. There are approximately 2,000 community members living in town center and approximately 3,000 living in the greater sub-location of Oloolaimutia (the village area as it’s considered).

In addition, by constructing a tap at Mara Shiners Academy, a total of 137 students and seven teachers will be benefiting.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Porter Nellans

Comments
This project is needed to ensure that a crucial water source remains operational, and that the school has water for its hygiene needs.

Dollar Amount of Project
$555.00

Donations Collected to Date
$555.00

Dollar Amount Needed

$0.00 - This project has been fully funded, through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative, together with friends and family of Peace Corps Volunteer Porter Nellans.

We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Porter of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by Porter and/or those other PCVs in the country of service.

This project has been finished. To read about the conclusion of the project, CLICK HERE.

Community Description
The Mwiruti community is a very rural area of approximately 4,000 people settled across four adjacent villages (Maramu village, Marinda village, Mwiruti village, Mwitoma village). It is an agricultural-based community with a very limited infrastructure, a very high level of poverty and a low level of education. Most families in the area live well below the poverty line and survive only on small-scale subsistence farming, and the buying and selling of fruits and vegetables amongst their neighbors.

Livestock is limited to raising poultry, goat herding, and cattle. The level of poverty in the area also keeps many children out of school in order to work on their farms, while those who are able to go must do so in villages several kilometers away. Aside from one pre-school/orphanage of around 60 children, there are currently no public schools, no community health center, no community market and only 4 small shops of limited household supplies.

Access to clean water has been a significant challenge to the Mwiruti area. Unclean water has led to a number of waterborne diseases and public health issues. There are currently no public boreholes and no developed water springs in any of the four villages.

The main source of water access is a natural water spring at the edge of the Mwitoma village. However, this source is often contaminated due to community runoff and livestock use. As a result, many villagers simply prefer to walk the several kilometers required to access clean water in a nearby village.

The community group responsible for this project, Mwiruti CBO, represents the leadership of the four villages in the Mwiruti area and is supported by the entire community. This group is focused on “giving value to life by promoting positive living conditions for a healthy community” and has targeted this undeveloped water spring as the best means of access to clean water for the surrounding communities.

Project Description
This project is the construction of a centralized water spring for the 4 rural villages of the Mwiruti community.

Project funding will be used for construction materials, including bricks, cement, lumber, sand, water piping, and mesh wire.

The work will be done by a team of 3 certified masons, two of whom recently worked on the Savannah Water Spring Project - Kenya successfully completed under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Brian Shultzabarger.

A community development committee has been set up in order to manage the project. A construction manager and a finance manager have been designated in order to keep the project on schedule and under budget.

This project is to be constructed over an existing natural water spring. The spring pool itself will be dug out and filled with large stones for the foundation core followed by a layer of polythene paper, mesh wiring, gravel, and top soil. A brick and cement dam will be constructed at the base of the former pool with two piped water spouts for access.

Project Impact
Approximately 4,000 people in 4 communities will benefit from this project.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Brian Shultzabarger

Comments
Once protected, this water spring will provide the people of four villages of the Mwiruti community, the pre-school/community orphanage, and those who raise livestock and crops, with improved access to clean water. Additionally, it will serve to reduce the number of waterborne infections resulting from unmaintained water sources in the area.

This is a very high-impact project that utilizes a proven technology. It has tremendous community support, and is designed to be a long-lasting solution to a major local problem.

Dollar Amount of Project
$555.00

Donations Collected to Date
$555.00

Dollar Amount Needed
$0.00 - This project has now been fully funded through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative, with the help of friends and family of Peace Corps Volunteer Brian Shultzabarger.

We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Brian of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by the PCV and/or other projects in the country of service.

This project has been finished. To read about the conclusion of the project, CLICK HERE.