RC Karura Set To Adopt 7 Villages in Kitui
October is Economic Community and Development Month
By PP Zac Syengo
The Rotary Club of Karura, Kenya, has identified a dire need for water and sanitation services for seven villages namely Kinanie, Nditime, Masikalini, Kamwiu, Ivitasyaa, Masungu and Kyoani in Kitui East, Kitui county Kenya. The villages are located in a semi-arid area with an estimated population of 7,000 people of whom 30% are school going children and 60% are women according to the 2009 census. Each village has around 100 households with an average of 10 members. Most of these are engaged in livestock keeping, subsistence farming and retail trade.
Community members travel over 30km to the nearest seasonal water point and due to scarcity of rains, many have been forced to dig very deep in search for water and often in precarious circumstances. This has had an unfortunate ripple effect on the lives of community whereby children are drawn out of school to assist in the water collection, and elderly persons suffer if they do not have someone fetch water for them increasing manageable health risks. The location does have extremely great potential to enhance livelihoods if they have access to regular supply of water for household and agricultural needs.
This project therefore aims at providing a self-sustainable solution by accessing water through piping water from a reliable source along the seasonal River Thua to serve the seven villages. The intermittent rains come in November and December and only offer an ephemeral reprieve. This pipeline, with kiosks at trading centres would be a launching pad for improved and sustained health, household food security and retention of learners in school. Specifically, the project will reduce the distance travelled in search of water, reduce occurrence of water-hygiene issues and water related diseases, enable communities to engage in income generating activities and promote climate smart agriculture.
There is clearly a need to improve access to water for these communities to improve living standards and enhance economic development. This is the need that prompted RC Karura to apply for a Global Grant in partnership with District 5630(Central and Western Nebraska) to respond to this need. The grant is currently awaiting approval.
