Katumoi Water Project

In response to the continuing and recurring drought in northern Kenya, Keiyo Soy Ministries (KSM) in conjunction with grant-makers, churches, and individuals, plan to channel water from the mountains to the people, livestock and farms in the valley. As of late December 2000, UNICEF reported that "over 10 million people including 1.7 million children under five years of age in Ethiopia and more than 3.3 million people in Kenya continue to be at risk."

Every few years the rains disappear in the Northern part of Kenya, placing thousands of people in danger of starvation. In recent decades, the international humanitarian response "interrupted the ancient cycle of drought, famine and death." But these efforts, though helpful, have failed to create a lasting solution to the chronic food problems in this remote area of Kenya. KSM (USA portion) in conjunction with AIC (African Inland Church) Keiyo Soy Ministries in Kenya plans to complete a gravity based water distribution system to provide fresh clean water to the Keiyo Valley region of northern Kenya. Two Board Members from KSM visited Keiyo Valley in Kenya in May 2000. While there they assisted in forming the National Board of KSM, met with the national and local government officials and were given the Katumoi Water Project.

The project described in this proposal has been approved by the Kenyan government and will benefit thousands of people living in this region of the Great Rift Valley. The availability of water will provide the many farmers in the area with much needed water to raise their crops and sustain their livestock. With fresh clean water there should be a decrease in the number and severity of water borne illnesses that are now so prevalent from what little contaminated water there is available to the residents of this impoverished region. Water will provide a stable economy for the development of local schools and health clinics to provide quality medical care.

Problem Description

For the past four years Keiyo Valley in Kenya is in a severe drought resulting in starvation, sickness, and death. The lack of water has created a severe shortage of food. Without adequate water, farmers in this heavily agricultural region are unable to grow crops for their own use or to sell for money to provide all the other essentials of life. The lack of food leads to malnutrition and eventual starvation. Most rivers and streams have little or no water. Mothers and children spend many hours each day searching for water and firewood and many need to go several miles to find water at all. The livestock are also dying from lack of water and grass for grazing resulting in loss of vital protein and milk sources for the people. The water that is available is unclean causing Cholera, dysentery and typhoid fever as well as other water borne diseases. Most seriously affected are the children, nursing mothers and elderly who are most vulnerable in any population. These conditions have been documented worldwide by WHO, CNN, UNICEF, United Nations Food Program and many International, National and local newspapers.

Goal

The primary goal of our project is to improve the overall quality of life of the people of Keiyo Valley. By providing a continual source of fresh clean water the people will be able to raise crops and livestock to provide an adequate food supply. With adequate clean water and nutritious food people will lead longer and healthier lives. An increase in the ability of each individual to produce enough food for his/her family and livestock and excess to sell for money to provide all the other necessities of life will Create a stable self-sufficient environment. Once this is achieved there should no longer be the need for foreign aid to repeatedly rescue the same areas in times of crisis.

Outcome

As results of completing the Katumoi Water Project it is reasonably projected that the following objective will have been met:

Growing crops specifically maize, sweet potatoes, beans, bananas, oranges tomatoes and mangoes even in periods of drought
Providing a fresh clean ongoing source of water
Empowering the community to help themselves
Empowering the community to establish a stable environment
Freeing the children from searching for water to attend school
Decreasing the severity and frequency of water borne diseases
Making the people self-sufficient in utilizing the local resources
Eliminating the need for foreign aid in future generations

Critical Facts

The project can take a little as 8 to 12 months to complete depending on the availability of finances for materials. The target groups are the residents of the entire Keiyo Valley in northern Kenya. According to the projected population growth of this area as noted in the project plan approved by the Kenyan government in 1999,thousands of people and many small businesses will benefit from a safe and dependable water supply. Presently there are only four schools in this entire area, however, with a stable food and water supply it will be feasible to have more schools in the local valley area. Instrumental in carrying out this project will be the National Board of KSM and the residents of the valley, working under the direction of an engineer from the International Board of KSM.

History and Background

This region of Kenya has a history of recurrent cycles of drought, famine, starvation and then relief efforts. This area was rescued from a drought in 1969 when yellow corn was sent from the US, again in the mid 1970s, relief agencies sent food to ward off starvation. Currently we see another severe drought starting in 1999 which has again required relief efforts from many organizations worldwide to save this region as well as other areas in Africa from starvation. Due to the lack of infrastructure and limited accessibility to food supplies in other areas of the country, this valley continues to be in great need of a dependable long-term solution to continuing cycles of drought.

Strategy

The Katumoi Water Project has been assessed and approved by the Kenyan Government. Before approving this plan the government has taken into consideration the amount of water available at the source and the amount of water needed to serve this area of Keiyo Valley. They have taken into consideration the environmental factors and the protection of the animal habitat The plan is well designed and a culturally appropriate service system. Both the international Board of KSM and the National Board of KSM will do semi-annual assessment of cultural and environmental factors. We plan to identify and collaborate with other agencies with a similar vision for the valley.

We are planning to construct the system in three stages.

Phase 1 Build intake and piping to the first holding tank
Phase 2 From the first holding tank to the third storage tank

Materials will be purchased in the Kenya area as much as possible. The National Board of KSM has already secured volunteers to help with the construction of the project. Part of the task is to assist in training local men as leaders and supervisors for this project. These men will then be responsible for continual assessment, evaluation, documentation and maintenance of the water system. The National Board will supervise these men and sent biannual reports to the International Board of KSM.

Objectives and Proposed Activities

The long term objective of KSM is to rehabilitate the Keiyo Valley in order to improve the overall quality of life of all the people living in the valley by providing a reliable delivery system of clean water. Sufficient clean water will enable them to combat poverty by growing their own indigenous food products without disruption by recurrent periods of drought. Short term objectives include construction of the gravity based water system, purchase of a vehicle for use in the construction project and to serve as a means of transport for emergency medical care, training of local men to construct, maintain, and monitor the water delivery system.

Activities:

Identify suppliers, negotiate prices, and purchase materials for the construction of the water delivery system
Purchase a vehicle for transporting construction materials and to use for emergency transport of anyone in need of medical care.
Identify a convenient location or a facility for training purposes.
Hold a series of educational workshops to train and develop local leaders and engage the community in the task of rehabilitating the valley (the task of constructing the water system in particular).
Construct the holding tanks and connecting pipes as described in the Katumoi Water Project.
Assist in the training of those who will ultimately by y responsible for supervision, maintenance, assessment and evaluation, documentation and semi-annual reports.
Facilitate and provide technical assistance in development of proper usage, maintenance and conservation of water and other natural resources.
Assist in providing the initial tools essential for maintaining the overall water system.
Assist in identifying culturally appropriate plants, trees, crops, vegetables. and milk cows which will thrive in the valley.
Increase community awareness of health and hygiene issues; proper sanitation, nutrition, and preventive health measures.
Identify the severity of medical issues and assist malnourished children and mothers who may need immediate humanitarian assistance,
Continue to evaluate and identify any negative factors generated as a result of this project.
Identify other agencies or groups who might be willing to provide lead in developing or assisting in the medical and /or educational components of this plan to rehabilitate the Keiyo Valley.

Budget

The total budget for this KSM project including the last 2 components is estimated to be $ 500,000.00 in U.S. dollars. All members of KSM on both the national and international level are volunteers. and each member who travels from the United States to Kenya does so at his or her own expense. The engineer who will oversee the construction of the water project is also a volunteer serving without a salary.

Funding Proposal

Title of Project: Katumoi Water System Project

Summary

The project will be located in Keiyo Valley within the Great Rift Valley of Elgieyo-Marakwet district in northern Kenya. Four (4) individuals will be trained and employed to operate the system. Monitoring of the operational process will be carried out by a local committee of individuals who have been involved in similar projects in Kenya (the National Board of Keiyo Soy Ministries). These individuals will also serve as contact persons. Annual visits will also be conducted by members of the International Board from Philadelphia, PA. The target population will consist of forty-six hundred (4600) people who reside within Keiyo Valley. Twenty-five hundred (2500) livestock units 'will also be serviced by the system. A livestock unit consists of fifteen (15) goats or sheep and three (3) indigenous cows. It is estimated that the construction process will take from eight (8) to twelve (12) months. The budgeted amount is one hundred an fifty-three thousand ($153,000.00) dollars.

Background:

Water equals life. The drought-ravaged land of Keiyo Valley has caused considerable concern for this African agricultural community. The fact that they have not had any significant rainfall in a number of years is devastating. An agricultural community cannot exist without rain. The residents of this valley have painfully watched much of their livestock perish, crops dry up. When the normally fertile soil receives adequate rainfall, it is capable of producing generous supply of crops. People along the Valley are drinking and bathing in the same water as their animals. Cooking and drinking under these unhealthy conditions has led to sickness, stravation, and despair. This has especially affected the children. There have been a number of attempts to find underground water sources in the Keiyo Valley but none met with success. Families cannot stay in one place. They must move in order to literally find greener pastures: Coupled with the drought is the lack of adequate medical treatment within this area. As a result,. the average life of the residents is 40 to 45 years.

The Proposed Katumoi Water Project location is in the Kocholowo region of Keiyo District. The project area is enclosed by Kiboige stream in the west, Baringo boundary in the east, the escarpment and Koimur center, in the north and south respectively. The area in the Kerio valley is a hilly and rocky terrain, which generally drains northwards into Kerio River.

The Local Government of the area concerned by the dilemma of water shortage being experienced, conducted a water supply feasibility study. This study revealed that water was readily available in the mountains and as such, a gravity-feed water supply system was proposed as the appropriate solution to bring the water from the mountains to the residents of the valley. The source selected for the gravity water supply system was the Kiboige stream, from which water could be captured high up in the mountains and brought down in a pipeline to a holding. tank for distribution to the communities.

A document summarizing their study, the "Gravity Based Distribution System," which includes the design of a gravity water supply system scheme and a proposal for its construction was developed. It was proposed that the project would be completed in three (3) phases.

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