Well for a Kenyan Village
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Well for a Kenyan Village
Background
We are excited to inform you that we are launching our first well project for my home community in the village of Karungu, in western Kenya. Despite the large expanse of fertile land, in the last ten years the productivity of the land has dwindled due to persistent drought. With a community that relies on the land for growing crops and raising their livestock, the impact of the drought has been enormous. With diminished water access and food supply, villagers are forced to trek long distances each day to Lake Victoria to get water for drinking and household use, leaving their land idle. This is the community where I grew up, and where most of my family lives -- so I understand what these challenges mean for everyday life.
Over a year ago, we sought to curb the impact of the drought by looking for sources of water other than the rainfall. We brought in land surveyors who detected a water table approximately 100 feet beneath the mountainous region where we live. Based on their assessment, the water table has the capacity to supply both drinking and irrigation water for the nearby villagers. We, my wife (Sophie) and I, with help from my in-laws, began funding the initial stages of digging to the water table.
Outlook
Our vision for this project is to ensure the village in Karungu has a constant supply of water that can be used for drinking, livestock, and irrigation. Therefore, we seek to raise funds that will be used to complete the well and connect electricity to pump the water from the underground well for the community. The good news is, we have reached the water table through the initial digging, and we are about 20 feet away from accessing a constant water supply.
The consistent availability of water in this area will significantly improve everyday life for people within the vicinity of the well. The well will supply a population of about 1,000 people with water for drinking and household use. In addition, approximately 20 homesteads will be able to access the water for irrigation, providing food resources for the majority of the area. As a bonus, the introduction of electricity will allow a population of about 15,000 people (the village and its environs) to access electrical power for home use, removing the need for toxic and dangerous kerosene as a source of light and fuel for cooking stoves.
The water will be used for irrigation year-round, which would maximize the productivity of the land while saving more land to be used for feeding livestock. More importantly, with more reliable access to water and food, parents will not have to choose whether to send their children to school or keep them home to help till their lands.
In conclusion, the availability of water via the well will ease the burden to many families, and enable them to return to farming and raising livestock to support themselves. Please join us in helping to improve the villagers’ day-to-day lives.
My pledge to all the contributors
With great humility, I will receive your donations with the promise that every single donation will be used for the sole purpose of providing water to the community and its environs in relation to this project. I will be withdrawing the funds under my name and transfer the money via western union to my brother Agidho, who is managing this project, and is providing regular status updates.
It’s our conviction that the availability of water will greatly enhance the daily lives of the villagers. We promise to give you updates on the work being done and the progress toward completion. These updates will include photos and videos when possible.
BREAKDOWN OF THE FUNDS
Phase 1 - Survey
Land Surveyors: $250 COMPLETE
Phase 2 – Well ($3,000 required)
Dig the well to the water table: $3,000 COMPLETE
Dig into the water table to ensure a continuous supply of water: $1,000
Purchase and install a water pump- $2,000
Phase 3 – Electricity ($6,000 required)
Run 5 miles of electric power lines to reach the village
Purchase and install transformer
NOTE: The amounts noted include both labor cost and supply of the material for each phase of the project.
Help spread the word
About Me
My name is Ouma Onguka and I live in Redwood City, California. I emigrated to the U.S. from Karungu, Kenya in 1997. Since moving to the U.S., I have supported my family in Kenya through remittances, paid school fees and university tuition for several relatives and other children, and funded a number of small development projects in Karungu in an effort to help my family and the local community be self-reliant. Of all these efforts, this project -- the well and electrification -- will have the biggest impact.
My dad Peter and my cousins Tyson and Onyango plowing our fields before the drought started. Today, these fields are brown and idle due to lack of water.
Several of my nieces and nephews in the village.
Background
We are excited to inform you that we are launching our first well project for my home community in the village of Karungu, in western Kenya. Despite the large expanse of fertile land, in the last ten years the productivity of the land has dwindled due to persistent drought. With a community that relies on the land for growing crops and raising their livestock, the impact of the drought has been enormous. With diminished water access and food supply, villagers are forced to trek long distances each day to Lake Victoria to get water for drinking and household use, leaving their land idle. This is the community where I grew up, and where most of my family lives -- so I understand what these challenges mean for everyday life.
Over a year ago, we sought to curb the impact of the drought by looking for sources of water other than the rainfall. We brought in land surveyors who detected a water table approximately 100 feet beneath the mountainous region where we live. Based on their assessment, the water table has the capacity to supply both drinking and irrigation water for the nearby villagers. We, my wife (Sophie) and I, with help from my in-laws, began funding the initial stages of digging to the water table.
Outlook
Our vision for this project is to ensure the village in Karungu has a constant supply of water that can be used for drinking, livestock, and irrigation. Therefore, we seek to raise funds that will be used to complete the well and connect electricity to pump the water from the underground well for the community. The good news is, we have reached the water table through the initial digging, and we are about 20 feet away from accessing a constant water supply.
The consistent availability of water in this area will significantly improve everyday life for people within the vicinity of the well. The well will supply a population of about 1,000 people with water for drinking and household use. In addition, approximately 20 homesteads will be able to access the water for irrigation, providing food resources for the majority of the area. As a bonus, the introduction of electricity will allow a population of about 15,000 people (the village and its environs) to access electrical power for home use, removing the need for toxic and dangerous kerosene as a source of light and fuel for cooking stoves.
The water will be used for irrigation year-round, which would maximize the productivity of the land while saving more land to be used for feeding livestock. More importantly, with more reliable access to water and food, parents will not have to choose whether to send their children to school or keep them home to help till their lands.
In conclusion, the availability of water via the well will ease the burden to many families, and enable them to return to farming and raising livestock to support themselves. Please join us in helping to improve the villagers’ day-to-day lives.
My pledge to all the contributors
With great humility, I will receive your donations with the promise that every single donation will be used for the sole purpose of providing water to the community and its environs in relation to this project. I will be withdrawing the funds under my name and transfer the money via western union to my brother Agidho, who is managing this project, and is providing regular status updates.
It’s our conviction that the availability of water will greatly enhance the daily lives of the villagers. We promise to give you updates on the work being done and the progress toward completion. These updates will include photos and videos when possible.
BREAKDOWN OF THE FUNDS
Phase 1 - Survey
Land Surveyors: $250 COMPLETE
Phase 2 – Well ($3,000 required)
Dig the well to the water table: $3,000 COMPLETE
Dig into the water table to ensure a continuous supply of water: $1,000
Purchase and install a water pump- $2,000
Phase 3 – Electricity ($6,000 required)
Run 5 miles of electric power lines to reach the village
Purchase and install transformer
NOTE: The amounts noted include both labor cost and supply of the material for each phase of the project.
Help spread the word
About Me
My name is Ouma Onguka and I live in Redwood City, California. I emigrated to the U.S. from Karungu, Kenya in 1997. Since moving to the U.S., I have supported my family in Kenya through remittances, paid school fees and university tuition for several relatives and other children, and funded a number of small development projects in Karungu in an effort to help my family and the local community be self-reliant. Of all these efforts, this project -- the well and electrification -- will have the biggest impact.
My dad Peter and my cousins Tyson and Onyango plowing our fields before the drought started. Today, these fields are brown and idle due to lack of water. Several of my nieces and nephews in the village.Organizer
Ouma Onguka
Organizer
Redwood City, CA
