The fresh water trickling through the dense Napier grass bush leads up to a rusted small metal gate, wide enough to fit a man. The fencing has been forcefully cut off, leaving a useless padlock at the lock. A few meters on the other side of the thicket, a medium sized dam reflects the light of the mid morning sun, the water glittering in the light.
Chief Caleb Owako of Nyakach West Sub-county explains to the small group of visitors the challenges facing his administrative ward, and the peculiar habits of the residents of Nyakach West, Kisumu County.
“They would rather risk slipping and drowning while fetching water, than using manual pumps to meet their daily needs”, he says. “And that’s why the gate is vandalized.
The group looks across the water body, each person deep in his own thoughts, before they move on to the bank of the dam, facing the massive chiseled rock face on the other side, an adit to the Sondu power station.
Led by the KenGen Foundation’s Managing Trustee Anthony Igecha, the team comprising of Rev. David Kang’ethe from WorldServe – representing the University of Ohio; Samuel Iddi and Sheilah Simiyu from APHRC; Eliud Ngunjiri from RODI Kenya; and Philip Barasa, Chief Scientist Western Region, were on a site visit for a proposed community water borehole.
“The area was earmarked for a market, but it never took off”, Philip Barasa explained earlier.
“Despite the nearby Sondu experiencing fluctuating water levels and over silting, the site has a potential to serve more than 20,000 community member from both sides of the river”, he further said.
The team of experts was on a tour to explore the potential of setting up a sustainable water and sanitation program in the area.
According to Anthony Igecha, “the area has the potential to provide enough water to cater for the approximately 2,000 households, while at the same time set up subsistence farming”.
“A well designed project will also reduce cases of water borne diseases”, he added.
Currently, the Ogeka community living in the area fetches water from the nearby adit, the closest river being 6 kilometers away at Nyamarimba shopping center.
The provision of clean water to communities living around its installations is one of KenGen PLC’s most significant Corporate Social Investment achievements – and one of KenGen Foundation’s key pillars.
The company has since 2005 set up numerous water projects including the Sondu Water Project and several water points and sand dams at Kitui, Embu and Machakos counties. Through the Foundation, it has widened its scope and also distributed water tanks and water harvesting systems in several schools across the country.
A water borehole in the area will reduce the time spent by the community in fetching water thus enabling them to engage in other activities. The site has the potential of turning the area’s economy through vegetable and livestock farming. The water will also serve the local dispensary, primary school, and technical college.
A key feature at the proposed water borehole site is the presence of well-established women groups, youth groups, PWD groups and self-help groups.
“As a corporate responsible citizen, the endorsement and inclusion of the local community is key to the success and sustainability of a KenGen Foundation WASH program in the area”, said Anthony at the end of the tour.
If you enjoyed this blog post, share it with a friend!
Follow us on Twitter through @KenGen_Foundatn and like our Facebook page for more updates.
–Ernest Nyamasyo, Communication Officer