One of the biggest highlights of the year has finally come to pass! We were able to finally break ground on our very own piece of land and start drilling for Water. This has been a dream of this organization for years and years of planning have finally come into fruition. We started off the day by hiking the path that the water will be piped.
This was quite significant because the team was able to see just how much of an undertaking this would be. From the Area we are getting the water, Old Kijabe to where our reservoir tanks are is almost 15 kilometers or almost 9.5 miles. This is a huge undertaking for a private organization to do as you can imagine the red tape that is included in green lighting such an endeavor as well as the actual logistics of transporting the water itself.
Upon reaching the actual site for drilling the borehole there was a small dedication and thanksgiving before Jeremiah and Zane turned on the machine and the drilling officially began. By the end of this week we will be able to know at what depth we will find water.
Jeremiah and Zane turning on the drill and beginning this process was symbolic, but it was more than that, it was the culmination of almost 10 years of planning. For those who have not had the pleasure of visiting Maai Mahiu and seeing the beautiful Rift Valley, you find that Maai Mahiu is on the leeward side of the Rift or just inside its shadow.Meaning that Maai Mahiu is an extremely dry place. This mixed with climate change and deforestation we find a perfect mix of a simulated desert. This adds to an already dire situation when it comes to water in the country.
Though Kenya is considered a leader in the continent when it comes to the livelihood of its people we find that out of the 53 million Kenyans only 28 million Kenyans have access to clean water, and a staggering 41 million lack access to higher sanitation. That would be a running shower, a flushing toilet and a sink to wash your hands. This however is a reality that we here at Ubuntu refuse to accept lying down. Kenya is in Sub Saharan Africa and while it has Arid and Semi Arid Biomes it is a country that is full of water and many many companies including Coca Cola have come to source their spring water here.
This means where there is a will there is a way, and the will was certainly there. Jeremiah and Zane concluded that despite all the prevailing factors, the water scarcity issue is one that can be addressed and tackled effectively with proper planning, such as water management and conservation. If such planning is undertaken we can see a significant rise in people with access to water. This pipeline should be able to not only provide water for Ubuntu, but to some neighbors in our community as well.
By offering better access to Water we hope to not only help our amazing kids, but address key areas such as sanitation and Hygiene. Ubuntu is the idea that if you want to go far go together, and in this instance we hope Ubuntu can be an Oasis in the Maai Mahiu “desert”. In our excitement we cannot forget to thank the Rees Jones Foundation for all their work and support in helping us secure the piece of land we will be drilling on, the drilling itself and the piping.
Again it is over 9 miles of piping so we are extremely grateful. Your continued support has allowed us an Organization to touch the lives of thousands and we hope to help thousands more. Your contribution will not go unnoticed and may your organization continue to be blessed in all it’s future endeavors.