OFOK Rainwater Harvesting Project – Kenya

This project is made possible through the partnership of WATER CHARITY and the NATIONAL PEACE CORPS ASSOCIATION.

This project has been completed.  To read about the conclusion, CLICK HERE.

Location
Kamiyawa sub-location, Kodera North Location, Kasipul Division, Rachuonyo sub-county, Homa-Bay County, Western Kenya

Community Description
The community where the project is situated is comprised of about 60 households, two schools and one market.

Organic Food Kenya (OFOK) is a Community Based Organization (CBO) that empowers the local schools, youth, widows and the community farmers at large. Their mission is to train community members to change their lifestyles to eat locally-grown organic food and drink clean safe water from a known source.

OFOK is geared towards accomplishing food security, good health and availability of economic resources that can be used for educating of children and improving their lives.

Problem Addressed
There is a lack of safe water for drinking in the community and at the OFOK resource center.

Eating inorganic food and drinking unclean water within the community, surrounding schools and markets have led to outbreaks of illnesses that have brought about the loss of lives and resources.

Project Description
This project is to build a rainwater harvesting system to capture and store water at the OFOK resource center.

Three large water tanks will be purchased for the storage of drinking water. Gutters will be placed on the buildings to catch the rainwater, which will be piped to the tanks.

Water Charity funds will pay for the tanks and materials.

The work will be done by OFOK volunteers.

Project Impact
60 households will be directly served, and 5,300 people will benefit indirectly.

Project Administration
Raymond Orenda, Co-Founder, Organic Food Kenya

Monitoring and Maintenance
Monitoring and maintenance will be done by the community, working through a committee, and the OFOK leadership, to keep the system providing water for all.

Comments
The result of the project will be a community with commendable food security with organic food on the table, clean, safe drinking water and money in the pocket for better living standards.

The importance of permaculture education in communities is measured not just in the creation of clean food but in the creation of community. People naturally gather around water and food and it is the basis of all civilizations, and a clear path to the future is created in the process.

Among the groups most benefitting from the project are those most marginalized, such as orphans, people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWAS) and the elderly.

Let Girls Learn
This project will reduce the burden on girls, who have the major responsibility for fetching water. Relieved of this burden, they will have the time to attend and remain in school.

Project Funding
This project has been made possible through the generosity of an anonymous donor. If you wish to see more projects like this one, please make a general donation to Water Charity.

   

Conclusion of OFOK Rainwater Harvesting Project – Kenya

This project has been completed under the direction of Raymond Orenda, Co-Founder, Organic Food Kenya. To read about the start of the project, CLICK HERE.

The project was designed to build a rainwater harvesting system to capture and store water at the OFOK resource center.

Raymond reports:

Greetings from Organic Food Kenya Project. We are more than happy and thankful for your generous donation towards our water harvesting project. With humility and gratitude, we want to confirm to you that this project is really helping the community members and the farm; they are very thankful for your donations too.

Here are some interim pictures showing with the water harvesting project as it progressed, which show the building of the tank bases.