Water Pump and Solar Panels

One of the last steps in building a long-lasting borehole is the installation of the water pump. For the Lositeti community, this is especially important because the water will be pumped more than a mile away from the water collection site. This design was agreed upon because the main community hub is far away from the borehole site which was (accurately) predicted to yield good water flow. We also installed solar power—thirty 540-kilowatt solar panels—to power the pump at the site. As soon as there was a break in the rain a few weeks ago, local contractors installed this pump and power system.

These solar panels will generate enough energy to run the water pump and pump the water up the hill to its holding tank. The panels and pump were generously donated by our friends at the Newark Rotary Club, Rotary District 7630, and eight additional partner clubs. Collectively, they raised a total of $16,350 to fund this part of Lositeti’s borehole infrastructure. This is what it looks like to put “Service above Self” for others.

The Importance of Partnerships

We love working with selfless Rotarians because they know how to mobilize support for others. Not only does Rotary’s emphasis of “Service Above Self” align with our mission, but one of Rotary’s Seven Areas of Focus aligns perfectly with our WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) projects. Because of this overlap, we’ve worked on other water projects with Rotary International before. Completed in 2012, our Olepolos Community Borehole project was funded by a Rotary International Global Grant sponsored by the Dover Colonial Rotary Club. This deep borehole well is still functioning today.

For Lositeti, however, we and our Rotary friends decided to fund a specific part of the borehole project by earning a district grant and enrolling partner clubs. In this way, the Lositeti project enrolled more Rotarians and had a larger Delmarva footprint than an ordinary Global Grant. By traveling to different clubs across District 7630, we were able to spread awareness about the need for water in Kajiado County. The result was a successful project at Lositeti that was supported by more donors and partners than any previous WILK project.

This project could not have been accomplished without Newark Rotary’s incoming president, Rotarian and Paul Harris Fellow Jerry Bilton. Throughout 2023, Jerry mobilized his connections to set up talks at Rotary Clubs across District 7630. He traveled with our Outreach and Operations Manager, Aaron Lemma, to co-present the project at many of these clubs. Throughout the fund-and-awareness-raising process, Jerry communicated regularly with project partners and the WILK team to ensure everything was in order for success. The time and effort Jerry and Aaron put into enlisting a total of nine Rotary clubs and earning a District 7630 grant was substantial.

The mission of Rotary is to connect people with a shared vision, and Jerry and his Newark Rotary club have done just that for us. Their commitment to service shows us just how much can be achieved when you can get everyone involved. We are indebted to each of our partners who helped bring clean water and new life to Lositeti: Newark Delaware Rotary Club; Newark Star Rotary Club; Camden-Wyoming Rotary Club; Dover Colonial Rotary Club-Dover Delaware; Dover Capital City Rotary; Dover Downtown Rotary Club; Rotary of Kent Island; Rotary Club of St. Michaels; MOT Rotary Club; Rotary District 7630; Project Leader Jerry Bilton; and individual contributors: DG John Magher; DGND Ken Montville; Michael Friedberg; Sue and Johnathan Simon.

Because of their commitment to Lositeti, Water is Life Kenya is proud to honor District 7630 and this project’s champion, Jerry Bilton, into our prestigious Kilimanjaro Club. Thank you for your inspiring generosity!

What’s Next for Lositeti

To protect the solar panels from animal interference, an electric fence (also funded by this Rotary effort) has been installed. Currently, Lositeti’s Water Management Committee is getting the hang of managing their borehole. Soon we’ll hand the borehole over to the Lositeti community, which will benefit tremendously from their new water source. People are still recovering from the loss of livestock, so the new water supply will aid in their recovery. We anticipate the official Handover Ceremony to take place over the summer.

Lositeti will surely have reason to celebrate this year. Among other things, the availability of clean, potable water at a local source will support the community’s women and children. The obvious benefits include reducing illnesses and supporting the health of both people and animals. But having a close, dependable water source empowers women and allows them to generate income that supports themselves and their children.

Communities thrive with the simple gift of water. Over the last 17 years, we’ve helped nearly 100,000 people transform in so many positive ways after lifting the burden of searching for water. We currently have two more water projects in the works now that Lositeti’s borehole is almost finished. We can’t wait to develop more partnerships and provide more Kenyans with clean water access.

SAVE THE DATE: Wine into Water — Celebrating a Job “Well” Done with Newark Rotary & Partners

Together with Jerry, Newark Rotary, and Newark Star Rotary, WILK is hosting a celebration in honor of the Lositeti Handover Ceremony with a “Wine into Water” event. On Friday, July 12, we’ll be at Deerfield Wines from 5:00-7:00 pm. You can participate in a silent auction of art donated by Newark Arts Alliance and shop our collection of Kenyan beaded handicrafts. There will also be light fare and wine tasting provided. Join us as we come together in fellowship and rejoice at how much partnerships can accomplish!

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Empalakai Community Borehole (2022)

Women in Empalakai used to have a treacherous path to take in order to find water. Not only did the walk take several hours, but the area where water collected was in a rocky riverbed. The water was heavy and dirty, and people often got sick from drinking it.

In April 2022, we dug 220 meters to tap into the water reserve. Once the well was constructed, water basins and cattle troughs were built. An appropriate pump and generator also had to be installed. By September, the water system was online and ready to be used. About 6,000 liters of water per minute can be pumped from the well, and women no longer have to risk their lives to find it.

Esukuta Community Borehole (2015)

Like the women in Empalakai, women in Esukuta also had difficulty finding potable water. Esukuta means “salt,” and the water women managed to collect by hand-scooping in shallow wells was barely fit for human consumption. Even livestock got parasites from drinking the water.

Our Esukuta borehole is one of the earliest we constructed. In July 2015, we broke ground and tested the water. It took about a year to complete the project, but the results speak for themselves. Pipes were connected to nearby Nasipa Primary School so it could also have access to clean water. Shops opened up around the borehole, and women could earn money from the time they saved not having to search for water. Livestock is healthier and children perform better in school.

And last summer, trees were planted and toilets installed during phase 3 of the Esukuta Borehole Project. Which means that, after nearly a decade, the borehole still is providing water to this community.

Ilkisonko Boys’ High School (2022)

In 2022, the Ilkisonko Boys School in Loitokitok had over 1,200 students, 800 of whom lived on campus. But the pipe system wasn’t working and water had to be purchased and delivered to the school. Water, then, was rationed to students, who could bathe only once a week. Even people living in areas surrounding the school couldn’t access clean water.

To solve the problem, we drilled 300 meters (Ilkisonko Boys School is at the top of a hill in the highlands) and constructed a borehole for the school. Not only did the students benefit from this project, but the surrounding communities did as well. Because the borehole had a strong flow, it could sell water to nearby areas. Now, thousands of people benefit from the results of this successful water project.

Lositeti Community Borehole (2024)

Our newest active water project is one that was desperately needed. The people in Lositeti suffered great losses from the three-year-long drought that Kenyans endured. Women walked for hours and “scooped” for water, sometimes returning home without any. Cattle herds were wiped out by disease and starvation. People are still so poor and isolated that, even with rain falling, they can’t bounce back.

The support we received for this project astounded us. Donations came from Rotary District 7360, the Raskob Foundation, the Virginia Wellington Cabot Foundation, our board member Linda, and so many other people. It was clear that the cries from people in Loisteti had been heard.

We began drilling a borehole for this community last month. During test pumping, people lined up to fill their jerry cans. We also distributed beans and nutrient-rich flour to offer additional relief to those who still desperately need it. We still have to build the borehole and its supporting infrastructure, but there’s finally hope for people in Lositeti where before there was none.

How Will You Celebrate World Water Day?

This year’s theme for World Water Day is “Leveraging Water for Peace.” Peace can mean a lot of things, but for the people we serve it usually means peace of mind. Women are empowered by not having to spend most of the day, every day, searching for water. Children can go to school and actually retain what they learn. Livestock stay healthy, which benefits both families and communities. All around, lives are changed—for the better.

The post World Water Day: Celebrating WILK’s Success Stories appeared first on Water is Life Kenya.

This is the story of how we’re bringing water to Lositeti.

Water Troubles

We talk a lot about how long many women and their daughters have to walk to find water in Kenya. Lositeti was no different. Even last week, when we discussed the issue with women who live there, they said it takes about six hours round-trip to bring water home. Sometimes, because the “water hole” didn’t necessarily have any water.

Instead, women “scooped” in a sand bed to try to retrieve whatever water they could. About 1/3 of the time, they wouldn’t get anything beyond sand. And the area was busy: both people and wild animals all went there for the same reason, looking for water in an area where it was supposed to be. Also, because of the animals’ waste, the water wasn’t safe for consumption.

Plus, it’s hot. Imagine walking all that way for nothing.

Economic Difficulties

People in Lositeti are still struggling after the devastating drought that just ended in Kenya. Many cows died from lack of grass and water, leaving Maasai without their traditional means of savings. They haven’t been able to replace the lost cows, either. Right now, they can only afford to eat maize because beans are hard to come by. People are so poor and isolated that, even with the rain falling now, they can’t bounce back.

Lositeti is the most remote of our water projects, and Michael traveled a long way to reach us. Even though he’d heard of us through interacting with other communities, other people in Lositeti weren’t aware of how we could help.

The Road Less Traveled

Recent rain meant the road couldn’t support the weight of the trucks bringing in the drilling equipment. On February 19, after they’d had some time to dry, we decided to test the road. At one point, the trucks got stuck in a muddy spot. It took some persistence and elbow grease, but by the end of the day the drilling rig and casings were in place. What a celebration for our friend Michael on his birthday!

Drilling began the following day. We hit the first aquifer at 28 meters, which was much sooner than we expected. Ultimately, we drilled down to about 150 meters (almost 500 feet) where we decided the rate of the water flow would be sufficient. On February 26, we began test pumping. Early reports from the people who filled their water jugs suggest that the water is “tasty.” More importantly, about two minutes after we stopped pumping the water level rose back to where it needed to be.

Building a Better Future with Water

The construction of the borehole in Lositeti will take several months. There are also decisions to make regarding the size of the pump and how to power it. These choices will determine how many connections to the new water source can be made as well as how much it will cost to keep the borehole running. In an area where there isn’t much money, it’s important to plan out as much as possible to avoid making costly changes later on.

We’re hopeful that the good luck we’ve had in Lositeti will continue, and we’re so grateful to Rotary District 7630 and the rest of our faithful donors who contributed towards this water project. We can’t wait to complete the borehole so that Lositeti will have fresh, clean water available for a long time to come.

The post The Path to Water: Bringing a Borehole to Lositeti appeared first on Water is Life Kenya.

As we write this, we’re preparing to start drilling at our next borehole site—Lositeti. Our fundraising campaign for this project took place last summer. Drilling a borehole that will help a community long-term is not a simple process, though. As we look forward to Lositeti, let’s look back on past Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) projects to talk about the methods, timeframe, and costs of building durable boreholes.

It Takes (More Than) a Village

Many people in and around Kajiado County, Kenya, know about the work we at Water is Life Kenya (WILK) have done over the last seventeen years. That’s what prompted Michael Lankoi, a teacher from Lositeti, to travel 40 miles to Nooriro where we were drilling a borehole this past summer. The people in Lositeti had been suffering because of the three-year-long drought, and he asked us to help them.

We receive many requests for help. Therefore, after building a relationship with a community, we travel to the ground to conduct a needs assessment. This helps us determine what kind of help, if any, is needed. Is water available nearby? Are people committed to running and maintaining a borehole? Will the community benefit from a borehole project? These are just some of the questions we answer before getting our team-—and our donors—more involved.

Lositeti checked all of those boxes. Shallow wells had dried up, a nearby dam was empty, and livestock had been wiped out. The community welcomed us and was eager to envision what their new life would look like. Following the needs assessment, we completed a hydrogeological survey, mobilized community leadership and organizations, and guided them as they filed for drilling permits. It was only then that we asked our donors to help fund the project.

Between a grant from The Raskob Foundation, contributions from ten Rotary clubs across District 7630, and individual donations, we raised over $80,000 to fund this community borehole for Lositeti. That might seem like a lot of money—and it is—but we don’t just dig a hole and leave. This is why our projects have been so successful for so long.

Our Borehole Process

Our work in Nooriro is just one of the 27 clean water projects we’ve completed in Kajiado County. From the initial assessment to the opening ceremony, it takes about a year to complete a project. It’s time to answer how much our water wells cost in Kenya.

The needs assessment, community mobilization, and hydrogeological survey steps we mentioned, along with training a Water Management Committee (WMC) that will oversee the project on a daily basis, can cost around $5,000-$15,000. In Kenya, water resources are owned by the state, so applications and permits are required before drilling can even begin. Drilling the borehole and a 24-hour test pumping come next and cost around $15,000-$25,000, but this is not even the most expensive step.

Following drilling and test pumping comes the most critical step in our region—construction. Because of nearby elephants who love fresh, clean borehole water (see our blog post about elephants to learn more), borehole infrastructure must be made out of reinforced concrete. Local contractors are hired to build a pump house, water point, troughs for animals, water storage, and latrines. The community pays for some of this construction as a “buy-in,” while the rest (between $20,000-$30,000) is funded by WILK. Following construction, a water pump and generator are purchased and installed. Because our wells are deep (up to 300 meters), the pump and generator installation can cost between $15,000-$20,000.

Once these projects are established, our team monitors them quarterly during the first year and conducts questionnaires and other data collection. We are on standby to help resolve conflicts and troubleshoot solutions with WMCs.

Past Borehole Success Stories

The Ilkisonko borehole can show how much work goes into our projects. After drilling, we conducted test pumping, constructed necessary infrastructure, equipped a generator and pump, and trained a well management team. Therefore, our comprehensive projects have a larger cost than other smaller ones that are dug in Kenya. (The global success rate of water wells is 30-50% after two to five years. Our projects are far more sustainable, with a success rate of about 85% and some wells running for over 15 years).

One of our early projects (2012) in Olepolos is still running—and supporting two schools in addition to the community. Because the community was involved throughout the process, the borehole fits its needs. Now people have been moving to Olepolos for its water security. There are also farms, shops, and a restaurant, all of which support the economy. This means the people in Olepolos can manage the borehole as well as afford to keep it running.

We Have More Work to Do

Our first borehole in 2024 will be in Lositeti, but we’re reading through applications and surveying areas for additional borehole projects. There are so many people in Kajiado County who still suffer from the aftereffects of the three-year drought. We want to help as many as we can, but we also will continue to follow the plan we’ve been using successfully for the last seventeen years.

With all of our projects, we do our best to ensure borehole longevity. Not only does that mean boreholes are made to withstand the elements (and the elephants), but they also need to stay funded to keep running. If we want these communities to prosper, we have to help them beyond building a well.

So, how much do water wells cost in Kenya? Our community borehole wells cost about $80,000 – $100,000. And what about the benefit? The reality is that communities of up to 5,000 people (and their animals) have water for decades because of our projects. Considering some cars cost $80,000, you tell us: How much does clean water for communities cost?

The post How Much Does a Borehole Cost in Kenya? appeared first on Water is Life Kenya.

This week, we’ll highlight an important partner that’s been helping us help Kenyans in Lositeti: Rotary District 7630.

People Helping People

Since Water is Life Kenya was founded, Rotary Clubs around Newark and Rotary District 7630 have made a major impact on our borehole projects in Kenya. In 2012, WILK partnered with the Dover Colonial Rotary Club and Rotary International to implement a global grant. This led to the creation of the Olepolos Borehole Project, which is still running strong today. VOA Africa visited the project last year, creating this video which shows how the project and community have evolved over the last 10 years.

WILK’s involvement with Rotary has picked up again this past year.

Last November, the Newark Star Rotary Club held a fundraiser for WILK at Deerfield Wines called Changing Water into Wine. At the event, WILK’s Outreach & Operations Manager, Aaron Lemma, met Rotarian Jerry Bilton, a member of the Newark Rotary Club. A few months later, Jerry came to Aaron with ambitions of putting together a district grant. As the cost of a WILK community borehole is around $80,000, the two decided that furnishing a pump and generator at Lositeti, the site of our next borehole project, would be within reach.

Purchasing and equipping the pump and generator would cost $16,300. With a clear fundraising target in mind, Jerry got to work.

Getting to Work

Over the past several months, Jerry has brought eight Rotary Clubs across Rotary District 7630 onto this project. Strengthened by these generous partners, the grant proposal was submitted and accepted. WILK was awarded the maximum amount—$5,000—which will be used towards the pump and generator at Lositeti.

The partnering clubs who enabled this project to happen have pledged to contribute the remaining $11,300. We are deeply grateful for their participation. Those clubs are Newark, Dover Capital City, Dover Colonial, Camden-Wyoming, Middletown-Odessa-Townsend, St. Michael’s, Newark Star, and Kent Island.

Jerry and Aaron have been traveling to these clubs, sharing about the project, and introducing Rotarians to WILK’s transformative programs. The result has been more connections, friendships, supporters, and partners in support of our communities in Kenya. We’re grateful to Jerry for introducing us to his friends and District 7630’s grant commission for believing in this effort.

Service Above Self

Service projects are part of Rotary International’s mission. Clubs are always looking for involvement—especially local involvement—in impactful projects. Partnering with WILK, which is based in Newark, DE, on a water project in Kenya is a perfect blend of local Rotary involvement with a global focus. In fact, one of the seven areas of focus for Rotary International is to provide clean water, sanitation, and hygiene to communities in need.

The 2012 International Grant, in partnership with Dover Colonial Rotary Club, demonstrates Rotary International’s commitment to supporting sustainable WASH projects in Kenya. With this District Grant project, a new model for collaboration has blossomed between WILK and Rotary. By partnering with more clubs at varying levels of contributions, a robust coalition in support of Lositeti has emerged.

These eight partner clubs and District 7630 stand alongside the hundreds of WILK donors who have supported the Lositeti community borehole through the Lositeti Flash Campaign this summer. Together, we reached the complete fundraising goal of $80,000.

Including the Rotarians at each of these eight clubs, it’s likely that this is the single greatest number of supporters any Water is Life Kenya project has ever had. It’s been an impressive effort on behalf of Jerry and all District 7630 Rotarians who believe in putting Service above Self for the people of Kenya.

How You Can Help

Partnerships like this help us bring clean water and increased incomes to communities in Kenya, and we’re always looking for more people and groups to get involved. If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering, sponsoring an event for us, or hearing us speak about our mission, visit our connect with us page. Just like Jerry, you, too, can find your own unique way to support our communities in Kenya.

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