Friends School Mugomari
Project Snapshot
Country: Kenya
GPS Coordinates:
Latitude 0.219583
Longitude 34.738917
Impact:
Total Served: 1000
Status: On Hold (?)
Completion Date (or estimate): 09/30/2010
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A new well is being constructed for the Friends School in Mugomari, Kenya.
Our implementing partner filed this initial report about the site:
Current
Water Source
They get water from the “Shitumbola” spring
that is 3 ½ KM from the school and the water
is contaminated. It is also an inadequate supply providing a limited quantity of water to the school population.
Being a day school, much valuable time is wasted as students walk back and forth during study time to fetch this water.
Population
The school has a population of 236 students
15 teachers and 9 subordinate staff and next to a primary school which has 500
pupils. Together with the surrounding community, this well may serve up to 1,000 people.
Despite lack of water the schools environment is fair with enough latrine for the students. They have a compost pit for litter and their dining hall is fairly kept.
Latest Update:
8/20/2010 - Sanitation and Hygiene Training Complete - Pictures Added
Project Photos
Recent Project Updates
01/20/2011: Friends School Mugomari Drilling Fails
What happens when good records of past mining are not kept by the government? A community is devastated to learn, after hoping for a new well, that well drilling in their area will likely never produce water.
Recently, our implementing team drilled a new borehole for the Friends School in the community of Mugomari in Kenya. Initially, the drill rig encountered some trouble blowing out the sediment as they worked. While not a usual occurrence, they pressed on. Initially, they found some water and were encouraged they could soon be readying a pump for the community.
But then something strange happened. The water disappeared. No one had pumped it out. It simply vanished.
The team called a local geologist back to the site and after some investigation is was determined that the village is likely above or near old mines of some kind. The earth below them is fractured, with many on cracks that initially allowed the air from the drill bit to escape and later allowed the water to drain away.
The end result is a dry hole. And while failed boreholes aren't all that uncommon, the way this one failed was.
Our team will work with the community to determine if another type of water project, like rain catchment, may be more appropriate given these issues.
It's disappointing for sure. We hope with the community that a good solution to their water problem can still be found.
Sponsors
20 individual donors
Public Service Academy - Clayton Valley High School
Kol Ami Congregation
Cortiva Education
Carolyn Rhodebeck Water Challenge
First United Methodist Church - Albany
Northbridge High School
Mirabeau Chapel
Country Details
Kenya
- Population: 39.8 Million
- Lacking clean water: 43%
- Below poverty line: 50%
- Climate: Varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior
- Languages: English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous languages
- Ethnic Groups:Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%, Meru 6%, other African 15%, non-African (Asian, European, and Arab) 1%
- Life Expectancy: 57 years
- Infant Mortality Rate: 55 deaths per 1000 live births
Partner Profile
Bridge Water Project
BWP staff and crew were originally trained by David Hansen, a retired water engineer from California. David visited Kenya, saw a need, and then recruited and organized this team. He got them equipment and trained them how to use it. He also trained them how to manage their new business.
Today they are drilling at least one well per week. They work in communities they know and help mobilize them. They are able to return and fix broken parts. They are committed to seeing their own people changed when clean water comes.
