Borewell Status in 2023

Inspiring International Fundraising

As Margaret Fowler said in October 2022 on her visit to Kenya then, “since my last visit, our borewells in 10 schools provide clean water to about 5,500 children – all thanks to the inspiration of the Rotary Club of Billericay and an international fund-raising programme.  The amazing thing about this project was that it had been accomplished during the two years of Covid when we could not even meet.”

“In October 2022, the pump at ACK Karungu School had failed, and we released contingency money which funded the repair of the failed pump and it is now in use.   In addition, the water table at  ACK Magaca had dropped so much due to lack of rain that the water had stopped flowing.  We released more money to dig through a deep hard rock layer to get it flowing again.”

Margaret returned in March this year to review progress on the borewells, to visit with the Rotary Club of Embu (our local partners), and identify any other local needs which we could support.  As usual, she had a warm welcome at the Rotary Club of Embu, and members accompanied her on her trips to the borewell sites.

A Very Happy, Healthy School

ENA Primary School - the well is fully functional and 600 pupils in the school all have clean water.  There is plenty of water for drinking and cooking, for washing classrooms, and for planting crops. It is a very happy, and healthy school.

Broken Through

Kathaari Primary School - the water table had dropped below extremely hard rock.  Cutting through this has cost a further £530 (Ks90,000).  “The workmen had broken through the rock and reached subsoil but at the time of our visit” said Margaret, “they had another 10ft to go, but digging would be easier from now on.”

The rains have thankfully arrived, so some land had been prepared for planting vegetables next to the school kitchen.  The good water supply gives confidence that they can grow crops regularly for food.

Margaret summed it up “Thanks to having water, this school is very different from the one I knew a few years ago.”

Run Dry

Magaca Primary School - As reported last October, the well had dried up because the drought has been so severe (no rain for six months).  The children were forced to go back to the river for water.

Margaret was disappointed that the borewell slab had been broken up and the pump removed, but this was to allow enough fresh air to reach the workmen who are already digging the well deeper, and it is expected to be working soon.  In the meantime, the children were washing their classrooms as best they could with spare river water or rainwater from the tank, but they seemed happy and the school is performing well.

Operational again

Ciamanda Primary School - the schoolchildren welcomed the visitors with dance and song, but the Deputy Head appealed for help get the well working again.

Rotary Embu hadn’t been informed that the well was not working. It emerged that it was an electrical fault and the pump had become rusty.  This has now been repaired and the well is now fully functioning but it will need to be dug deeper in order to get water in the dry season..

In Summary

After completion of the pilot borewell in Ciamanda, total funds raised for the ten Borewells was approx:
£23,000 (Ks4,000,000) leaving:
£1,380 (Ks233,400)
which was all sent to Embu to fix the issues at Magaca and Karungu.
At this time, Rotary Club of Embu is holding only:
£517 (Ks 87,475)
which will be needed to deepen the wells at Kathanguri and Karungu

Better Communication needed

• The Rotary Club of Embu have realised all borewells need to be continually monitored
• All Headteachers need to be proactive in informing the Rotary Club of Embu when there are problems with their wells.
• A little more funding will be needed to dig some wells deeper.