Our plans to create another Rotary Project to distribute the potable water from the Ndandini well so that the 3000+ people living near Kyaithani Village can get access to the precious water have moved several steps further in the past month.
We have put together the proposal for a plan (total cost approximately us$62,500) which has been now been accepted by The Rotary Foundation. The proposal would see us install water tanks at the 6 schools in the Ndandini area and provide a tractor and water wagon to deliver the potable water from the Ndandini well to each school. 1200 schoolchildren will benefit from this every day. We also aim to install 3 more water tanks in locations around the village area so that we will reach all 3000+ villagers.
We will need us$25,000 in donations for this project. Once we raise that amount (hopefully by July 1, 2011) we can then apply to The Rotary Foundation for grants totalling us$37,500 which will provide the total funding for the project.
We have already secured us$5,000 and are actively seeking partners for the additional us$20,000.
If you can help, email terryumbach@hotmail.com for additional information.
Terry
Thursday, April 28, 2011
COMMUNITY GARDEN UPDATE - land now fenced
Our Project manager Duncan and the villagers have been very busy this past month. The one acre plot of land for the community garden which we secured clear title to in February has now been cleared and totally fenced.
The villagers will be continuing to do the final clearing and then we will be ready for the building of a bunkhouse (which volunteers can use for sleeping overnight) and the installation of the drip-irrigation greenhouse and outdoor garden.
Keep watching for more progress reports as we move towards our goal of a community garden for Ndandini.
Terry
The villagers will be continuing to do the final clearing and then we will be ready for the building of a bunkhouse (which volunteers can use for sleeping overnight) and the installation of the drip-irrigation greenhouse and outdoor garden.
Keep watching for more progress reports as we move towards our goal of a community garden for Ndandini.
Terry
Saturday, March 5, 2011
UPDATE - thoughts for distributing well water to Kyaithani and 6 schools
We earlier reported that a project was being investigated to see if we could construct a pipeline from our very successful well in Ndandini to the village of Kyaithani, some 4km distant, which is home to over 3000 villagers.
I am pleased to be able to report that since drilling the Ndandini well in June 2010, it still continues to produce clean water at the original rate of 19,000 litres/hour (when the pump is active). This is very good news as it shows that the water source, some 9 months later, is still highly productive. With this reassurance, we can more confidently proceed with plans to try to distribute the water from the well to more distance beneficiaries.
Our water distribution investigations are now pointing us in a slightly different direction. We are looking at the possibiliity of providing a TRACTOR and WAGON with water tanks. We saw one last September while in Kenya (see below) and that got us thinking more seriously about this option.
A pipeline would provide water at only one point where we could install a storage tank and a set of taps.
A tractor could DELIVER water to each of the 6 schools in the Ndandini/Kyaithani area that have no water as well as to several potential storage tanks and distribution taps around the village area! We are thinking that this might be a much better way to get clean water to more people in the near term.
If you consider there are approximately 200 children at each of the 6 schools, that's 1200 people that would be getting clean water every day because of this project. A couple of extra storage tanks in the village and we can reach the whole 3000+ people in the Kyaithani area.
We are working on developing the project budget and setting this up as another Rotary matching grant project (similar to the very successful one which resulted in the provision of the Ndandini well).
If you are a Rotary Club, or an individual whether a member of Rotary or not, that would be interested in getting involved with us on this project, let me know at terryumbach@hotmail.com .
Keep watching for more news as we move forward on this promising initiative to make more use of the water from the Ndandini well site.
Terry
I am pleased to be able to report that since drilling the Ndandini well in June 2010, it still continues to produce clean water at the original rate of 19,000 litres/hour (when the pump is active). This is very good news as it shows that the water source, some 9 months later, is still highly productive. With this reassurance, we can more confidently proceed with plans to try to distribute the water from the well to more distance beneficiaries.
Our water distribution investigations are now pointing us in a slightly different direction. We are looking at the possibiliity of providing a TRACTOR and WAGON with water tanks. We saw one last September while in Kenya (see below) and that got us thinking more seriously about this option.
A pipeline would provide water at only one point where we could install a storage tank and a set of taps.
A tractor could DELIVER water to each of the 6 schools in the Ndandini/Kyaithani area that have no water as well as to several potential storage tanks and distribution taps around the village area! We are thinking that this might be a much better way to get clean water to more people in the near term.
If you consider there are approximately 200 children at each of the 6 schools, that's 1200 people that would be getting clean water every day because of this project. A couple of extra storage tanks in the village and we can reach the whole 3000+ people in the Kyaithani area.
We are working on developing the project budget and setting this up as another Rotary matching grant project (similar to the very successful one which resulted in the provision of the Ndandini well).
If you are a Rotary Club, or an individual whether a member of Rotary or not, that would be interested in getting involved with us on this project, let me know at terryumbach@hotmail.com .
Keep watching for more news as we move forward on this promising initiative to make more use of the water from the Ndandini well site.
Terry
COMMUNITY GARDEN UPDATE - Land now secured
We have successfully completed the negotiations with the landowner and now have secured clear title to the one acre of land for the community garden. Thanks again to the great on-the-ground work of our Nairobi based project manager Duncan.
The Ndandini Water Committee, headed by Kimali who is the principal at the Kyaithani secondary school, is now coordinating the colunteer labour of the village to clear the land in preparation for the next step in the project.
We are hoping that by mid-March the land will have been cleared of all the current brush (it has been unused for a while) so that Duncan will then be able to get the whole plot fenced to keep all grazing animals out of the area and away from the eventual drip-irrigation garden.
Keep watching for updates as this part of the project gets underway.
Terry
The Ndandini Water Committee, headed by Kimali who is the principal at the Kyaithani secondary school, is now coordinating the colunteer labour of the village to clear the land in preparation for the next step in the project.
We are hoping that by mid-March the land will have been cleared of all the current brush (it has been unused for a while) so that Duncan will then be able to get the whole plot fenced to keep all grazing animals out of the area and away from the eventual drip-irrigation garden.
Keep watching for updates as this part of the project gets underway.
Terry
Thursday, December 2, 2010
A Rotary Partner club proposes a follow-on project
A visit to a Rotary water and/or sanitation project can be life changing.
Just 2 months ago a Rotarian from Saint John (New Brunswick, Canada), one of our 25 partner Rotary clubs, visited Ndandini to witness first hand the completed Ndandini well project. While there Greg Jewett used his skills and experience to teach the primary school teachers how to make better use of the computer and internet link which we had just given to them, now that we have installed solar lighting and power in the school. He says "I made 1200 friends at the 6 schools in the area" and "the people are so friendly and thankful" for the contributions that have been made towards improving the welfare of the village.
Now, just this week Greg tells us that he and his Rotary club intend to help start a new Rotary project. This new project will help bring the 19,000 litres of water an hour that the well can deliver closer to the village where over 3000 people live. Fundraising and project planning have already begun.
With support from partner Rotary clubs, like we did this year to drill the well, we hope to install some 4km of piping and, using solar powered pumps, fill water storage tanks in the village. Women and children will then no longer have to walk many kilometres to fetch water which takes so much time away from the childrens' studies and from the women's many family responsibilities.
If you think your Rotary Club would like to become a partner in our success in Ndandini, perhaps in this new pipeline project, send me an email terryumbach@hotmail.com to start the ball rolling. If your interests are in other related areas such as improving sanitation at schools or literacy (possibly by providing improved educational aids like solar powered computers for teachers at the other 5 primary schools) or implementing a computer lab at the local secondary school, let's talk. The needs are so great and there are many small and inexpensive projects that could be done quickly.
We continue our work to build a village development model that hopefully can be replicated in many places. Bridging Continents and Building Communities - Starting with Water.
Please read the many posts in this blog. So much good is being done in the Ndandini area because of the interest and generosity of many Rotarians and non-Rotarians working together.
Terry
Just 2 months ago a Rotarian from Saint John (New Brunswick, Canada), one of our 25 partner Rotary clubs, visited Ndandini to witness first hand the completed Ndandini well project. While there Greg Jewett used his skills and experience to teach the primary school teachers how to make better use of the computer and internet link which we had just given to them, now that we have installed solar lighting and power in the school. He says "I made 1200 friends at the 6 schools in the area" and "the people are so friendly and thankful" for the contributions that have been made towards improving the welfare of the village.
Now, just this week Greg tells us that he and his Rotary club intend to help start a new Rotary project. This new project will help bring the 19,000 litres of water an hour that the well can deliver closer to the village where over 3000 people live. Fundraising and project planning have already begun.
With support from partner Rotary clubs, like we did this year to drill the well, we hope to install some 4km of piping and, using solar powered pumps, fill water storage tanks in the village. Women and children will then no longer have to walk many kilometres to fetch water which takes so much time away from the childrens' studies and from the women's many family responsibilities.
If you think your Rotary Club would like to become a partner in our success in Ndandini, perhaps in this new pipeline project, send me an email terryumbach@hotmail.com to start the ball rolling. If your interests are in other related areas such as improving sanitation at schools or literacy (possibly by providing improved educational aids like solar powered computers for teachers at the other 5 primary schools) or implementing a computer lab at the local secondary school, let's talk. The needs are so great and there are many small and inexpensive projects that could be done quickly.
We continue our work to build a village development model that hopefully can be replicated in many places. Bridging Continents and Building Communities - Starting with Water.
Please read the many posts in this blog. So much good is being done in the Ndandini area because of the interest and generosity of many Rotarians and non-Rotarians working together.
Terry
Saturday, November 20, 2010
GREAT NEWS for the COMMUNITY GARDEN PROJECT
Ndandini Village WILL have their volunteer community garden! Because of the success of the well, the support of all the Rotary clubs in our Matching Grant project, and other donors to date, and the willingness of the Ndandini community to work to help themselves, a very generous donor has stepped forward to fund the majority of the cost of the community garden project. For this we and the villagers are VERY grateful.
Just take a look at the wonderful progress that the school is making with their first tomato and spinach crop, planted less than two months ago! Already you can see large and small green tomatoes getting ready to ripen on the vines.
It is also wonderful to see the students actively participating in looking after the outside drip-irrigation garden. Look at the size of those spinach plants!
If you would like to be a part of helping us help these willing villagers and students improve their lives, you can do so by clicking on the "Donate" area at the top right of this blog. Everyone's contribution helps. It could be the best Christmas gift that you will give this year.
And if you would like to help us provide scholarships to 20 students at the local high school, you can do that too by visiting our scholarship blog and donating there. How many of your friends and family would be glad that you helped a student in Ndandini go to school rather than buying that extra little gift that they didn't really need? You can get a tax receipt (for Canadian tax returns) for either donation.
Go to http://www.ndandini-scholarshipfund.blogspot.com/ to read about the scholarship fund.
Thanks
Terry
Just take a look at the wonderful progress that the school is making with their first tomato and spinach crop, planted less than two months ago! Already you can see large and small green tomatoes getting ready to ripen on the vines.
It is also wonderful to see the students actively participating in looking after the outside drip-irrigation garden. Look at the size of those spinach plants!
If you would like to be a part of helping us help these willing villagers and students improve their lives, you can do so by clicking on the "Donate" area at the top right of this blog. Everyone's contribution helps. It could be the best Christmas gift that you will give this year.
And if you would like to help us provide scholarships to 20 students at the local high school, you can do that too by visiting our scholarship blog and donating there. How many of your friends and family would be glad that you helped a student in Ndandini go to school rather than buying that extra little gift that they didn't really need? You can get a tax receipt (for Canadian tax returns) for either donation.
Go to http://www.ndandini-scholarshipfund.blogspot.com/ to read about the scholarship fund.
Thanks
Terry
Monday, November 8, 2010
Scholarship Fund Launched to Assist Ndandini area students attend Kyaithani Secondary School
Joan Merrick was among the initial visitors to Ndandini in September 2007. She was impressed by the eagerness of the the women and children to educate themselves and improve their lives and futures. She was also devastated by the realization that their poverty and the lack of support for the community was dooming them.
Joan became an active supporter of the Ndandini Water Project and in September 2010 revisited Ndandini for the dedication of the now operating well. While there Joan toured the five primary schools and the one secondary school in the Ndandini area. She met with many of the students and the principal, Kimali.
Kimali himself was originally a student of this area. He went on to a teaching career and has now returned to help educate the children of the area. He has also become the Chairman of the Ndandini Water Project, and is leading an initiative to coordinate the educational activities of the six schools in the area to encourage more students to complete higher levels of learning.
Joan returned to Canada with the desire to organize a scholarship program to help. We are so happy to see more people taking an active role in helping the Ndandini area.
Please visit the scholarship fund blog for more information about the fund. I encourage you to spread the word about this worthwhile project.
Visit http://www.ndandini-scholarshipfund.blogspot.com/ where you can make a donation and receive a receipt for your Canadian tax return.
This scholarship program is also being supported by the Rotary Clubs of Belleville (Ontario) and Sunshine Coast-Sechelt (BC).
Terry
Joan became an active supporter of the Ndandini Water Project and in September 2010 revisited Ndandini for the dedication of the now operating well. While there Joan toured the five primary schools and the one secondary school in the Ndandini area. She met with many of the students and the principal, Kimali.
Kimali himself was originally a student of this area. He went on to a teaching career and has now returned to help educate the children of the area. He has also become the Chairman of the Ndandini Water Project, and is leading an initiative to coordinate the educational activities of the six schools in the area to encourage more students to complete higher levels of learning.
Joan returned to Canada with the desire to organize a scholarship program to help. We are so happy to see more people taking an active role in helping the Ndandini area.
Please visit the scholarship fund blog for more information about the fund. I encourage you to spread the word about this worthwhile project.
Visit http://www.ndandini-scholarshipfund.blogspot.com/ where you can make a donation and receive a receipt for your Canadian tax return.
This scholarship program is also being supported by the Rotary Clubs of Belleville (Ontario) and Sunshine Coast-Sechelt (BC).
Terry
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
