Project Status



Project Type:  Borehole Well and Hand Pump

Program: Wells for Kenya

Impact: 500 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - Oct 2014

Functionality Status:  Functional

Last Checkup: 01/18/2024

Project Features


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Community Profile

This project is part of Bridge Water Project's program in Western Kenya. What follows is direct from them:

BACKGROUND

The proposed St. Barnabas Elubari ACK water project is a fresh borehole drilling proposed by Mothers Union Association of St. Barnabas Elubari church of St. Stephen Imanga Parish of Mumias Anglican church of Kenya Diocese (A.C.K)

The Mothers Union has a mission of taking care of Orphans and vulnerable children of Elubari Community where the church serves. On 10/10/1987 they begun an Early Childhood Development Centre (E.C.D) with an aim of eradicating illiteracy in their community a program which targeted most orphaned children who managed to pursue their education and realized their potential in society.

Currently the Mothers Union has various programs which focuses on both young and old members of Elubari community and its neighboring villages.  To achieve their goals they get support from an NGO called AMAN KENYA. During the jiggers treatment the women mobilize the infected on the Elubari church compound where they are administered drugs and other psychological support.

However, during the jiggers campaigns and during the daily work day women have to fetch water from a community water point located 1 ½ km away from the church compound.  Lack of water poses many challenges to the program.

Also, the Mothers Union also need to hire extra help to fetch water for  guests to use and for cooking meals. Sometimes young women are called upon while they are teaching, to go and fetch water , thus disrupting their lessons.

After Mothers Union learned of  BWP development activities in the county, they applied for BWP services to intervene by providing a solution to their water problems.

CURRENT WATER SOURCE

The church and the community currently get water from a Kefinco drilled well situated 2KM away. The water from the well is clean but the challenges are that the water point is always overcrowded since it is serving a big population. So women and young girls have to queue for long periods of time before fetching water. Also after fetching water one has to go a long distance climbing the hill while carrying 20 liters of container on the head. When one gets home they are totally exhausted.

POPULATION

The church has 230 members where as the Elubari community has 45 households with an average number of 8 – 10 people per house projected population of 680 – 750 people. (Editor's Note: While this many people may have access on any given day, realistically a single water source can only support a population of 350-500 people.  This community would be a good candidate for a second project in the future so adequate water is available. To learn more, click here.)

HYGIENE & SANITATION

The Hygiene and Sanitation of the church compound is good, pit latrines are washed on daily basis for nursery school pupil’s use, there’s composite pit for litter. The kitchen where food is prepared, is in the permanent church washed every Saturday. However, water storage containers are not well cleaned, no dish rack was visible and no hand washing station.

PROJECT BENEFICIARIES

St. Barnabas Elubari Anglican Church and Elubari Nursery school pupils will be the beneficiaries.

ASSESSING THE NEED

There’s need to drill a well for St. Barnabas Elubari Church to enable the mothers union to minister to people suffering from jiggers problem with less difficulties and also help them run other church programes without interferences. With a reliable water supply available Nursery school pupils will enjoy since then are forced to carry drinking water in the bottles whenever they come to school. The wells will also relieve women and young girls of Elubari community from walking long distance while fetching water for their domestic use.

WATER COMMITTEE

St. Barnabas Mothers Union organization has already identified a water committee amongst themselves who will be responsible for water supply management and ensure its sustainability.

We're just getting started, check back soon!


Project Photos


Project Type

Abundant water is often right under our feet! Beneath the Earth’s surface, rivers called aquifers flow through layers of sediment and rock, providing a constant supply of safe water. For borehole wells, we drill deep into the earth, allowing us to access this water which is naturally filtered and protected from sources of contamination at the surface level. First, we decide where to drill by surveying the area and determining where aquifers are likely to sit. To reach the underground water, our drill rigs plunge through meters (sometimes even hundreds of meters!) of soil, silt, rock, and more. Once the drill finds water, we build a well platform and attach a hand pump. If all goes as planned, the community is left with a safe, closed water source providing around five gallons of water per minute! Learn more here!


Contributors

Project Sponsor - Premier Real Estate Management, LLC. Calvin Akin