Water Being Delivered In Ndandini Kenya

This project started in September 2007 when a group of travelers from Canada visited Ndandini and realized how poor the area is and how desperately they needed a source of clean water.  Now, because of the support and generosity of many individual donors, almost 30 Rotary Clubs in countries around the world, and the members of St. Hilda's Anglican Church (in Sechelt BC Canada), we are finally able to deliver clean water from the well we provided in June 2010 to the 6 schools in the area.  The water tanks at these schools will also provide clean water to all the 3000+ villagers.

Here are a few photos that sum it all up.

 Every day each family goes to the dry riverbed and scoops in the sand until they reach water, which is polluted because of the animals that also seek that water.

In June 2010 we drilled a deep borehole for water and succeeded.  The borehole can produce over 19,000 litres of water an hour.  We then installed a generator and pump and 3 large water tanks with 48,000 litres of storage capacity.

On March 23 we delivered the tractor and bowser to the village (see previous post).  The bowser can carry 7,500 litres of water with each load.  Here you see the water bowser being filled with clean water at the well site.

The tractor pulling the bowser loaded with clean water.  This delivery is at the Community Garden in Ndandini (another of our projects where we have installed a large drip-irrigation greenhouse and a small building where volunteers who go to help at the village can stay for a few nights).

The last remaining work on this project is to install the final 3 water tanks at the last 3 schools.  This work should be completed within the next month.

Once again,   THANK YOU to ALL our donors everywhere!

Terry

Tractor and Bowser Get Delivered to Ndandini Today!!

Today (March 23) is a much anticipated day - by the donors and by the villagers!!  Today the tractor and the water bowser were delivered from Nairobi to Ndandini.  The truck left Nairobi at 8:30am and it took until 4:30pm until they arrived.  Never underestimate how hard it is to get to the village.

While we can often get there in 4 hours by taxi, it can take much longer - especially when we are talking about heavy equipment like the drilling rig (that took almost 24 hours) or now the flat deck truck with the tractor and pulling the bowser (8 hours).

Our project manager Duncan was waiting at Kwa Vonza village (where we turn off the Machakos-Kitui highway onto the dirt track towards Ndandini) to fill the four 200 litre barrels with diesel fuel (enough to last about a month before the tractor has to return to this spot to refill).  When they arrived at Kyaithani (at the Secondary School), they unhooked the bowser from the truck and offloaded the tractor from the truck.  FINALLY the tractor and bowser have arrived!  (here is a photo of the bowser the day before it left Nairobi)

The villagers, school children and the teachers from all the six cluster schools were so excited.  So was the driver who will be using this equipment to deliver the clean water from the well to the tanks at the 6 schools.

As it was almost dark by the time the tractor was offloaded, the tractor and bowser were left at the guarded secondary school for the night.

Today (March 24) Duncan and Newton, the local driver who will be operating the tractor, moved the tractor and bowser to the Ndandini well site for the first time and are now working on finalizing the piping/hose connections between the water tanks and the bowser.

Stay tuned for more exciting news from Ndandini as the first clean water gets delivered from the well site to the schools!  We hope to have photos soon of the actual arrival of the tractor and bowser at Ndandini village and the first water deliveries to the schools.

Tractor and Bowser Photos

The Ndandini Water Distribution Project is nearing completion.  See photos below of the tractor and bowser (and more at the bottom of this blog).

The tractor is being registered (licensed) and has been fitted with a satellite and cellular phone based anti-theft tracking unit.  The bowser is nearing completion of its fabrication and its registration has been applied for. 

We have all seven bases for the water tanks constructed - one at the community garden site and one at each of the six schools.  We have also already installed water tanks at 4 of these sites, so those are ready for the water to be delivered! That means that we only have 3 more tanks to install, get the bowser fabrication complete, and then get the tractor and bowser delivered so the driver can start delivering the much anticipated water.

However, we have run over budget.  The reasons are due to the devaluation of the Kenyan shilling with the resulting inflation, and our decision to increase the size of the bowser so that we can deliver 50% more water every day to the 3000+ villagers at essentially the same tractor operating costs.

We need another us$6500 to allow us to install the last 3 tanks.  If you can help in any way, please contact me or use the "donate" area to make an online donation. 

Thanks for all your support to help us bring water to the villagers of Ndandini and Kyaithani.

Here are a few more little bits of information for you to think about:

1.  the much anticipated rains failed and the hoped for crops have not developed resulting in widespread food shortage in the Ndandini area and negatively impacting incomes and the ability of families to pay school fees to send their children to school.  Read some moving letters from some Kyaithani Secondary School students on our other blog www.ndandini-scholarshipfund.blogspot.com

2.  Here is an excerpt from a recent email we received from one of the teachers at Kyaithani Secondary School. Amongst other things it clearly shows how much the students are looking forward to having the water delivered to the school:

"Its amazing and wonderfull to learn about life in Canada. I wonder how you survive in such an hostile climate? Then you must find Kenya too hot! Such climatical conditions are part of what we teach our students and to them and even us it sounds mystery.

Its now 13.05 pm and our students are out for lunch. part of whom have found themselves in the photos in the computer and have not believed it.

Very soon you will be receiving emails from our students who are eargerly learning the computer. The tanks have been installed in the school and from the water we are expecting to get, the students have suggested that we plant vegetables to supplement their diet. The beneficieries of the scolarships are doing quite well in their academics and as teachers we have high expectations on their performance.

We have plans to take our students for a trip in Nairobi to expose them to some places like museum, animal orphanage, bomas of kenya and other place we feel relevant. our prayers is that our parents will be able to finance the trip.

We are lucky to have a very supportive and loving principal who ever since has offered guidance to both the students and teachers. We are in the process of registering our first candidates for the National examination. Hows the education system structured in Canada? this will be their final exam afterwhich those who qualify will be selected to join universties late next year.

The research I did using the computer was based on the school based chalenges that affect performance in the primary school sector in my district. I will send it to you and you get to know the hindrances to good performance among the pupils in our place.

I guess its at night in canada when we are enjoying sunshine here and therefore I wish you a well continued sleep. Thanks and God bless you"

Alex Musembi, (teacher) Kyaithani Secondary School

 

Terry

YouTube 13 minute summary of project successes since Sept 2007

Here is a brand new YouTube video that summarizes all our project work at Ndandini and Kyaithani over the past 4+ years. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3wowjcweLk&noredirect=1

See what we saw when we first visited in September 2007.  Watch as we work towards the well and finally hit water.  Watch the first drip irrigation greenhouse installed at Ndandini Primary School and see the fantastic crop of tomatoes that they have grown.  See the solar system installed at Kyaithani secondary school, installation of their internet-enabled PC and the nine students who have received scholarships from our donors.  Look at the huge new greenhouse that has been installed on the one acre community garden plot as well as the new basic volunteer building waiting for people like you to come and help these villagers.  To finish up, see the new water tanks at the 6 schools and the tractor that will pull the bowser to deliver potable water from the well to each of the schools for the students and all the villagers in the area.

Its a great way to catch up if you are new to our project and a great refresher for all our donors.

Thanks again for your fantastic support that has made all this possible!
Terry

ROTARY DESIGNATES DUNCAN A "PAUL HARRIS FELLOW"

Because of his dedication and commitment to various Rotary projects in Ndandini and Kyaithani, Kenya, successfully completed over the past three years the Rotary Club of the Sunshine Coast (Sechelt BC Canada) has awarded Duncan Kamau the prestigious Paul Harris Fellow recognition.

Duncan has been our project manager responsible for all on-site management of our Rotary matching grants and TRF Global Grants at Ndandini and Kyaithani.

By reading all the posts on this blogspot, you will understand why he deserves this recognition.

Below is the content of the presentation made to Duncan on 30 October 2011.

Well done Duncan!

Terry

             Paul Harris Fellow Presentation 

                             To 

              Duncan Kamau Ngochi 

                     Oct 30, 2011 

The presentation of Paul Harris Fellow recognition is The Rotary Foundation's way of expressing its appreciation for a substantial contribution to Rotary’s humanitarian and educational programs. 

The Paul Harris Fellowship is named for Paul Harris, who founded Rotary over 100 years ago.  The Fellowship was established in his honor in 1957 to express appreciation and recognition for a contribution of US $1000 to The Rotary Foundation.    A Paul Harris Fellow is an individual who contributes $1,000 US or in whose name that amount is contributed in recognition of the significant work that person has done to further the humanitarian objectives of Rotary.  Every Paul Harris Fellow receives a pin, medallion and a certificate when he or she becomes a Fellow.  This identifies the Paul Harris Fellow as an advocate of the Rotary Foundation's goals of world peace and international understanding. 

Rotarians often designate a Paul Harris Fellow as a tribute to a person whose life demonstrates a shared purpose with the objectives of The Rotary Foundation.  Today we have the honor and pleasure of recognizing  Duncan Kamau Ngochi as he becomes a Paul Harris Fellow. 

Duncan was designated to receive this special recognition as an expression of sincere appreciation from the Rotary Club Sunshine Coast – Sechelt, British Columbia, Canada. 

A world of peace and good will comes closer to reality today as Duncan becomes a Paul Harris Fellow.  It is because of support and commitment from people like Duncan  that The Rotary Foundation is able to carry out an array of programs that achieve beneficial changes in our world: 

-  improved living conditions, 

-   increased food production, 

-   better education, 

-  new channels for the flow of international understanding,  

-  and brighter hopes for peace throughout the world. 

Today this Paul Harris Fellow award is given to Duncan Kamau Ngochi . 

Duncan has been our Project Manager for 3 years, working in the very arid Ndandini and Kyaithani area of Kenya south-east of Nairobi.  Duncan was responsible for managing all of the on-site work for the successful Ndandini Rotary Matching Grant water project.  This project, which was supported by the generosity of Rotary Clubs and many non-Rotarians, resulted in the successful drilling of the very productive Ndandini borehole in June 2010 and making water potentially available for over 3000 people in the Ndandini and Kyaithani area of Kenya .  

Duncan managed the acquisition and installation of a drip-irrigation greenhouse for the Ndandini Primary School in July 2010, a project that has resulted in the growing of year-round crops in the area for the first time.  This project was a result of  the generous support of St. Hilda’s Anglican church in Sechelt, BC Canada. 

Duncan also managed all of the on-site work for our Solar and Scholarship Project this year for the Kyaithani Secondary School.  This has seen power and lighting installed, an internet-enabled computer with TV/DVD and camera provided, and the provision of 9 scholarships.  This project was supported by the generosity of Rotary Clubs and many non-Rotarians. 

Duncan has also managed all of the on-site work this past 12 months on the Community Garden project.  This has seen the acquisition of land and the installation of a large community greenhouse and a small building to accommodate volunteers who go to Ndandini.  This project was made possible by the generous donation of a non-Rotarian. 

Duncan is now continuing his support and commitment by working with us on the Ndandini Water Distribution Rotary Global Grant project which will deliver water from the Ndandini well to 6 schools in the Ndandini and Kyaithani area, making potable water much more easily available to the 3000+ people living in the area. 

We acknowledge and sincerely thank Duncan for: 

his personal dedication and commitment for almost 3 years,  

his time away from his home and family,  

his endurance of hardship in the village with no facilities,  

his donation of personal funds for many things that were never invoiced,  

and his suffering injuries in a taxi roll-over while en-route to Ndandini to do work for our project.  

Without Duncan’s daily communication with us and all the work he has done, these projects would never have happened. 

 It gives us great pleasure, Duncan, to present these three emblems of recognition and appreciation which are given to each Paul Harris Fellow: 

 Your certificate,   

  Your medallion,   

   And Your Paul Harris pin,  

We heartily congratulate you and thank you Duncan 

   for your commitment to Ndandini,  

   for your commitment to the projects sponsored by our many donors,  

   and for helping the  Rotary Foundation with its humanitarian programs. 

The Rotary Club of Sunshine Coast – Sechelt 

    On behalf of the many individuals and Rotary Clubs around the world who have partnered in these projects. 

REPORT ON VISIT TO NDANDINI and KYAITHANI Sept 30 2011

We (Jan & Terry) have just returned from several days visiting the Ndandini and Kyaithani villages.  We are very pleased with the progress that has been made over the past year since we last visited in September 2010 after drilling the well at Ndandini.

All work has been completed at the community garden and a ladies group has been formed that is already starting to turn the soil inside the greenhouse.  They are so excited with what is happening at their village and so committed to getting started.


They have decided that they want to start planting inside the greenhouse as soon as they can, even though they will have to fetch water by donkey from the well site (some 4km away) for the drip-irrigation until the tractor and water wagon becomes a reality early next year.

The sight of the very large 8x24 metre greenhouse inside the fenced acre of land along with the new volunteer building and toilet hut is quite impressive in this area of mud & thatched huts and basic mud brick buildings.

There are 250+ tomato plants growing inside the greenhouse at the Ndandini Primary School that St. Hilda's church donated last fall.  The plants are each over 5 feet tall!  What a sight.



The womens group doing the work there are very excited with the crop and the fruits of their labour.










Unfortunately, because the only green to be found in the area is the drip-irrigated gardens at Ndandini, the birds have found the outdoor garden and are feeding on the Kale leaves.

It would be great if we could provide a netting cover over the outdoor garden area to protect the crop from being eaten by the birds.















The newly installed solar system at the Kyaithani Secondary School is making a big difference in the habits of the students there.

Many of them leave home in the dark at 3:30am to get to school by 4:30am to study under the lights.  With average family income of 100 Ksh/day ($1), they cannot afford to spend 80 Ksh/night for a litre of kerosene for lighting at home to do their homework there.

We delivered a PC, internet connection, DVD player, LCD TV and camera and spent several hours training the teachers how to get started with them.  We have already received emails from the teachers and several students.

We met with the 9 Kyaithani Secondary School students who each received a $300 scholarship this past year and had a chance to talk with each of them.  They are all eager to start exchanging emails with donors and especially with other students.  We have set up an email address for students, teachers and the administration.

We are actively soliciting donations for hopefully even more scholarships for next year.  Check out www.ndandini-scholarshipfund.blogspot.com for more information about the scholarship program.

We also visited each of the 6 school sites in the Kyaithani School Cluster where we will be installing water tanks and soon delivering water from the Ndandini well with a tractor and water wagon.  In concert with the teachers and parents, we have identified the best location at each school for the water tank as it will be used by nearby villagers as well as the school itself.  We can now begin constructing the bases for these water tanks.  At each of the schools we were impressed with the support of the teachers and parents.   The parents at each school have planted a garden to support the school meal program even though now they have to bring the water by donkey from the dry riverbed over 4km away (and scoop in the sand to get that water!).

The entire extended Ndandini and Kyaithani community of over 3000 people is now truly becoming united and working together.

Everywhere we went we were asked to "THANK THE DONORS"!  And we do indeed.  It is all happening because of your support.  Thank you.  Please keep it up.

Terry

COMMUNITY GARDEN GREENHOUSE INSTALLED!

This past week our project manager has been working very hard out at Ndandini. 

He and his workers have installed the solar system at the Kyaithani Secondary School as well as the 8x24m drip-irrigation greenhouse at the community garden.  The building where volunteers can stay is also now complete - and it even has a wash basin, shower and toilet.

Very hard work in very hot and dry conditions.  Good work Duncan!

Terry