Location
Kimilili, Bungoma District, Western Province, Kenya
Community Description
Kimilili is located on the slopes of Mt. Elgon and is a very rich agricultural town with a variety of cash crops including beans, corn, poultry, and dairy.
Approximately 140,000 people live in Kimilili, 47.1% of which are under the age of 15. The community is predominately made up of the Bukusu tribe.
Community Breakthrough Support Mission (CBSM) Education Centre was founded in 2007 in Nairobi. Due to post-election violence in 2007-2008 CBSM was forced to move to Kimilili and start anew. It is now a primary school to 315 children, many of which are orphans due to HIV/AIDS. CBSM is a non-permanent school but is in the process of constructing permanent classrooms.
Problem Addressed
Currently, CBSM has tapped water but it is not enough for the students. This year CBSM added its first group of class 8 students and is constructing new classrooms, so the need for water is greater now than ever before.
The water gets turned off frequently due to breakages in the pipe or because the school is unable to pay the water bill (during construction it can reach as high as 20,000 Kenyan Shillings or $240 per month). As a result, the students have to walk to the river to fetch water during lunchtime and their breaks. This water is not sanitary and exposes the students to waterborne diseases like diarrhea and typhoid.
Since Kimilili receives a substantial amount of rain from March to June and again from August to December it would be advantageous to build a rainwater catchment system on the school compound.
Project Description
This project is to build a rainwater harvesting system to provide water for the school’s various needs.
A 3,000-liter polyethylene Kentank will be purchased in Bungoma town and transported to CBSM by truck.
The concrete platform for the tank will be built next to one of the new classrooms. The tank will be placed on the platform and rainwater will feed into the tank by gutters and a pipe attached to the tin roof. A tap will be installed at the bottom of the tank so the water can be drawn.
The rainwater harvesting system will be built by a skilled mason from the community. Unskilled labor will come from the local community as well. The project will be overseen by the project manager and headmaster of CBSM who is at the site every day.
Water Charity funds will be used to buy all the materials including the tank, concrete, hoop iron, bricks, sand, ballast, waterproof cement, gutters, clamps, pipes, and a tap. In addition, Water Charity funds will pay for transport costs of all the materials and skilled labor costs.
Project Impact
315 children and 15 staff members will benefit from the project.
Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Breezie Mitchell
Comments
The project will provide students with an ample supply of clean water for drinking and personal hygiene, and staff with water for cooking and cleaning.
Dollar Amount of Project
$555.00
Donations Collected to Date
$555.00
Dollar Amount Needed
$0.00 – This project has been fully funded through the generosity of Angela Kisse, of Seattle, WA, USA, with the help of friends and family of Peace Corps Volunteer Breezie Mitchell.
We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Breezie of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by Breezie and/or those of other PCVs in the country of service.
This project has been finished. To read about the conclusion of the project, CLICK HERE.