Magomano Primary School Water Project

This is the kind of work that I love and have been dreaming about for years.  Getting a taste of it while a part of Engineers Without Borders in school at the University of Kentucky, it confirmed that I wanted to do this for a career.  Helping to empower communities to have better access to clean water is a challenging, but very exciting aspect of our lives here.

In case you missed it a couple weeks ago, March 22^nd was World Water Day! We made and posted a video of the water situation at Magomano Primary School and in the villages we are working with near Rumuruti.  (Ok yes, some guy named Matt Damon is also in the clean water business and might have posted a video about water as well…., but if you want to check ours out, it’s on our video tab J).  When we went out that day to make the video, seeing what these kids and families have to go through every day to get water to survive makes me not only grateful for the easy access I have to clean water , but also drives me to work as hard as I can to help provide them with the same.

Water projects like these make impacts throughout communities in so many ways.  An obvious way is of course cleaner water means healthier bodies.  Did you know that 10,000 children in Kenya die EVERY YEAR from diarrhea caused by unsafe water and poor sanitation! We are definitely praying for a healthier and more vibrant community as a result of this project.

Not only is the health directly impacted, but these kids are empowered! How you may ask, well that’s a good question.  As you saw in the video, they spend hours every day not just walking to the water hole, but waiting in line to fill up their jerry can.  That means hours each day not spent in school or on other activities that could uplift their families. Join us in prayer for these kids to have the clean water and education they deserve.

So what are we doing? Well, a major first step is to help mobilize the community leaders to really
own this project for today and many years to come.  So far we have had two meetings with the chiefs and elders to learn of the specific needs from them, explain how we partner with communities, share our availability to provide technical and training assistance, envision project goals together, and help facilitate the creation of a water committee that will overlook the sustainability of this project after construction.

I’m feeling very hopeful and pleased with the level of interest by the leaders and especially their willingness to participate in each phase of the project.  Finishing out the last meeting with the signing of a community agreement and project partnership, we are officially getting into the design phase.  With challenges of providing a source that will last in the dry season and providing a quantity and set up for the kids at the school and the community (including their animals), we are taking our time to make sure it’s done well.

With plans to drill a well on the school property and set up a rain catchment system using the school building roofs, the next main steps are to complete a hydrogeological survey and start drilling in the best location possible.  I’m setting up the survey with the drilling company as I write this.  And as I said at the beginning of this blog, this is exciting work.  I can’t wait to see the finished product!

I want to end on something that although I don’t personally enjoy talking about, it is crucial and must be mentioned.  To say it outright, WE…NEED…YOU…to make this happen. We need to raise $4,000 more to reach our goal.  Yes, I know.  That is a lot of money.  But if you look at it like 160 people each giving $25 then it isn’t so bad.  Will you prayerfully consider being 1 of our 160? If your answer is yes, your tax-deductible donation can be given HERE!

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Together we can help HUNDREDS of people have access to CLEAN WATER and that is something to get excited about J

In King Jesus and for His Glory,
Mark