The fourth TSP well funded by the Woodside Wishing Well, The Samburu Project will drill and install a shallow well equipped with a handpump in this community.
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Narrative
Accessing clean water is a tremendous challenge for this community. They currently walk 2 hours each way to the Lengudiya Stream to retrieve water for themselves and their families. There is a high rate of waterborne disease. Many children, especially girls, do not go to school because they join their mothers in the search for water.
Once there is a well, children will have time to go to school and women will have time to attend to other productive businesses. There will be a reduction in the number of waterborne disease.
Well water will be used for drinking, cooking, bathing, washing clothes and cleaning utensils. Additionally, livestock and wild animals will be able to benefit from the well.
The site selection experience with this community was exceptionally good. They were extremely cooperative and donated a goat to the TSP team despite their economic challenges. They promised to give more goats during the drilling exercise.
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Stephanie Ng of The Samburu ProjectImplementation Status: completed Thu 24 May 2012, Almost 12 Years ago
Stephanie Ng's Visit- May 2012
On our way to Nairisha Well we ran into Lejuu Lematasho who is a volunteer for The Samburu Project in Sere Olipi and visits the three wells in the area regularly and reports any issue to Lucas or Paul.
The water from this well is too salty for human consumption. However the water does not go unused; rather, saline water is great for the animals and consequently the communities bring all their livestock to drink from this well. Lejuu says that more than 700 cows and more than 5,000 goats drink from this water every day. In this sense, this well has changed the lives of everyone in the community because now they do not have to walk their animals to far places to find water and as a result, there are fewer deaths among their livestock. For this pastoralist community, their survival and livelihood is tied hand in hand with the wellbeing of their livestock. Not only do they use the cows and goats as their primary source of food (milk and meat) but oftentimes this is their only source of income. Lejuu also said that if people want to flush their system of toxins or after eating something bad, they will drink this salty water which clears everything out quickly.
The community has constructed a very thorough and impressive bush fencing around the well. Other than the fact that the water is salty, the well is functioning without any problems.
Lejuu is hoping that another well can be drilled nearby so that the 700 or so people in this community will have a safe, clean drinking source that is close to their village.
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Kristen Kosinski of The Samburu ProjectImplementation Status: completed Wed 05 Oct 2011, Over 12 Years ago
Casings Finally In
After weeks of the community waiting, the drilling rig is finally back up and running and completed the well drilling!!!
- Impact Assessment (M&E) Phase Project completed on 24 Sep, 2011 Implementation Phase
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Lucas Lekwale of The Samburu ProjectImplementation Status: in_progress Fri 16 Sep 2011, Over 12 Years ago
water struck
was all exitemeent in Nairisha community after our drilling team finally struck water at 48 meters 3 days ago. the drilling continued to 70 meters. unfortunately when casing was going on the rig broke down.the rig had to be rushed to Nairobi some 500kms away for repairs. The rig is due to the site in 4 days. i had to be with the community and the rest of the drilling crew to reasure the community that all is well. there is influx of people from other communities to this site with hope of quenching their thirst. its our prayers for the rig to be back in action soon.
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Kristen Kosinski of The Samburu ProjectImplementation Status: in_progress Wed 03 Aug 2011, Over 12 Years ago
Red Tape in Well Drilling
When Lucas went to the Water Resource Management Authority to pick up permits for our 10 wells, he first learned that the office was no longer in Nanyuki but had moved to Isiolo. When he finally arrived in Isiolo he was met with many challenges. For our previous four well drills, we have always produced the Hydrogeological Reports, an application and wrote a check and permits were given on the spot. Not this time! Not until this morning, 21 days after Lucas' initial visit to the WRMA, did we actually receive permission to begin drilling (still waiting for permits!).
Lucas had to go back to EVERY community and get titles for the land we are drilling on. The challenging aspect of this is that no one "owns" the land in Samburu as it is the land of the community. He wrote agreements with the area chiefs, area counselors and key elders which stated that they were donating the land to the designated women’s group. When he went back to the WRMA with the Title Deeds, they then told him that he had to get a Constitution from EVERY women's group!!! Fortunately, Naibosho Women's Group in Wamba, an umbrella organization has representatives from all of the area's women’s groups. Instead of going back to ALL the communities again, he was able to use their Constitution. And lastly, a new association called the Water Resource User Authority has been formed. Lucas had to get three members of their committee to sign a letter saying that The Samburu Project has done a good job. Unfortunately, the three people who needed to sign live in three different places; Laikepia, Maralal and Archer’s Post which caused major logistical challenges.
After Lucas spent week gathering the necessary materials and return to the WRMA office in Isiolo, it turns out that the person who is in charge was away for some time. Then, when he returned yesterday, after Lucas spent three days waiting for him, the computers in the office were down.All part of the adventures in well drilling...onward and upward!
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Kristen Kosinski of The Samburu ProjectImplementation Status: completed Fri 22 Jul 2011, Over 12 Years ago
Site Selection DAY 1
After surveying 5 sites, a viable well location was found. Lucas had to work closely with the community to convince them that TSP would actually follow through on well drilling. They have been given promises twice before which made them very gun shy. If we had not entered with a Samburu, the project would likely not have gotten off the ground.
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- Implementation Phase Project started on 22 Jul, 2011 Preparation Phase
The fourth TSP well funded by the Woodside Wishing Well, The Samburu Project will drill and install a shallow well equipped with a handpump in this community.
Narrative
Accessing clean water is a tremendous challenge for this community. They currently walk 2 hours each way to the Lengudiya Stream to retrieve water for themselves and their families. There is a high rate of waterborne disease. Many children, especially girls, do not go to school because they join their mothers in the search for water.
Once there is a well, children will have time to go to school and women will have time to attend to other productive businesses. There will be a reduction in the number of waterborne disease.
Well water will be used for drinking, cooking, bathing, washing clothes and cleaning utensils. Additionally, livestock and wild animals will be able to benefit from the well.
The site selection experience with this community was exceptionally good. They were extremely cooperative and donated a goat to the TSP team despite their economic challenges. They promised to give more goats during the drilling exercise.
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Sustainability
Creating and measuring long-term impact
A well committee has been formed to maintain and protect the well. They will also communicate with TSP should any issues arise.
Other Issues
Unusual and unexpected issues faced during project execution
The terrain is VERY challenging. The community needs to be mobilized for bush clearance prior to drilling. A community fund will be established once drilling is complete in August 2011.
This is 1 of 3 wells we will drill in the Sere Olipi location, which is a new project area for The Samburu Project. Though it is only 45 km from our headquarters in Wamba, there are no roads that go directly between the two towns. It takes about 10 hours to walk from Wamba to Sere Olipi; by car it takes a couple of hours, assuming there are no unforeseen issues. There are a number of challenges for The Samburu Project in Sere Olipi which are best described in Lucas Lekwale's email below sent on August 28, 2010:
"Kristen...
I hope this finds you well. There are a number of challenges that we encountered while doing hydrological surveys in Sere Olipi that I would like to bring to your attention. The challenges are as follows:
1. Former Projects - In 2006, Masaai Barefoot Technology (MBT) surveyed more than 6 wells in Sere Olipi. The community entry point was poor, only a few politically correct people were involved in site selection which the community was not happy about. The people involved selected sites in or near their homesteads. This project never kicked off despite community clearing bushes, making roads, collecting sand, hardcore and stones for building. The community felt exploited, cheated upon and empty.
Our challenge:
It was very difficult for me to convince the community on the integrity of our program because they had a bad experience with the MBT project. In fact, they were reluctant on our mobilization. It took a lot of energy and experience to finally make them understand.
Our Way forward:
This community needs more visits for mobilization/sensitization.
2. Bad Terrain - as seen in the pictures of the Nairisha Community, it was very difficult for us to access this point using our 4-wheel drive cars. The road is bad and so is the bush.
Our Way Forward:
We need to go to this community early and make the roads passable, navigable and ready for drilling in mid-August.
3. New Area/Virgin for Shallow Wells - Sere Olipi is a new area for shallow wells and boreholes, therefore this concept is new to the community.
Our Way Forward:
There is need to do more community meetings where we can educate members about the wells - their purpose, maintenance requirements, and future benefits.
Recommendations:
-There is a need to mobilize these communities early next month, the latest being on August 5th for bush clearance, collection of sand and hardcore.
- Hold a series of community meetings in Sere Olipi and Archer's Post, bringing on board women, administration, opinion leaders and all stakeholders prior to drilling. This will give us a head start as well as advocate what we do.
All my Love
Lucas"
Impact
People Impacted: 750
People Getting Safe Drinking Water: 750
150 Households @ 5 people per house
Data Source: Community Elders & Local Government
School Children Getting Water: 62
Lenlasim Preschool
People Getting Sanitation: 750
Improved sanitation has been an ancillary benefit of community water availability.
People Getting Other Benefits: 750
Water is the foundation from which all things grow. We expect that this community will receive many benefits beyond access to clean, safe drinking water.
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