KWENCH
Kenya Water, Energy Cleanliness and Health Project
www.kwench.org
P.O. Box 1336, Village Market Nairobi, 62100100 Kenya +254 726 295 675
Constance Hunt, Executive Director
Email: kwenchproject@gmail.com
| Follow KWENCH on Twitter
Click here to donate through GlobalGiving.org.
The Kitui Spring Project
KWENCH has
undertaken a wonderful, new project in rural Kenya in cooperation with the Muvua Self Help Group. The spring is
located in Kitui West District, Mutongi
Division, Usiani location, Kavalo
sublocation. Like our first project in Kangeme,
this one involves the development of a spring to provide high-quality water for
drinking, cooking and other uses. But it also has sanitation, hygiene and
livelihood components!
Kitui is in a
semi-arid region of Kenya where water scarcity poses a constant hardship.
KWENCH’s local partner in the proposed project, the Muvua
Self-help Group, has identified a spring that has been used by generations of
local people as a source of water for drinking and cooking. Mvua
has requested KWENCH’s assistance in collecting the
water from the spring in a large tank so that it can be properly treated and
then distributing the water to a series of four points where it can be sold.
KWENCH proposes developing the water supply system in
three phases. The first phase involves directing water from the spring into a
large tank and constructing a housing for the tank,
generator and water pump. The second phase involves the construction of two
tank stands with kiosks and installation of two, smaller water tanks both for
selling water and for distributing it to tanks that will be installed in the
third phase. The third phase involves the construction of two additional tank
stands and kiosks and installation of two additional water points. Each of the
project’s phases will result in a subproject that will be useful in its own
right and allow time for sufficient funding to be raised to complete the
project. The project beneficiaries include approximately 300 families and a
primary school with 900 students.
Phase 1
Construction of a small dam with a
pipe leading from the spring to a 50 cubic meter masonry tank.
The tank will be constructed on a concrete platform in a dip in the landscape
that is at a lower elevation than the actual spring, allowing for filling of
the tank by gravity. In addition, a brick structure will be constructed to
house the tank, generator and water pump. A door will be installed in the
housing for maintenance purposes and a window for ventilation.
Phase 2
Construction of a tank stand 40 feet high,
installation of two, 10 cubic meter water tanks both at the top of the tank
stand and construction of a water vending kiosk at the bottom of the stand. The
tank stand will be constructed at 850 meters to the east of the 50 cubic meter water
tank installed during the first phase of the project. The pump installed during
the first phase will be used to pump water from the 50 cubic meter water tank
to the first, 10 cubic meter tank. A pipe will connect the first 10 cubic meter
water tank to the second 10 cubic meter water tank so that overflow from the
first tank will fill the second tank. Both tanks will be used to supply water
vendors in the kiosk until the construction of the third project is complete.
Phase 3
Construction of two tank stands 20 feet high, one at a
distance of 1,000 meters to the west of the 50 cubic meter storage tank
installed during phase 1 and one at a distance of 1,000 meters to the east of
the 40 foot high tower constructed in phase 2. Installation
of a 10 cubic meter water tank at the top of each stand and construction of a
water vending kiosk at the bottom of each stand. Water pipes from the
first, 10 cubic meter tank installed during phase 2 will transport water from
the phase 2 project to the phase 3 tank to be installed 1,000 meters to the west of the 50 cubic
meter storage tank installed in phase 1. Water from this tank will also
continue to supply the kiosk constructed during phase 2. Pipes from the second
10 cubic meter tank installed during phase 2 will transport water to the phase
3 tank to be installed 1,000 meters to the east of the tank stand constructed
during phase 2. This tank will no longer supply water
to the phase 2 kiosk.
The fourth phase will include the sanitation, hygiene
and livelihood components.
Phase 4
Construction of a fossa alterna composting
toilet block at each of three schools near the spring.
The fossa alterna
model uses two composting pits within a single stall. One will be in use
while the other one is covered and its contents composted. Each school will
have a total of four fossa alterna toilet stalls, two for boys and two for girls.
The boys’ side will also have a urinal. Once the composting pits are dug, a
layer of dried leaves, ash and clean soil will be placed in the bottom of the
first pit to be used. After each use, the user will add a handful of a mixture
of leaves, ash and soil. When the first pit is full, it will be covered and
left to compost for about six months while the second pit is in use. The
compost generated in the pits will be clean, fluffy and odour-free!
Each toilet block will be equipped with a handwashing station with a water dispenser that will use
water from the spring and with soap. The staff and students at each school will
be provided with hygiene education so that they can understand how important it
is to wash their hands after each visit to the toilet.
The Muvua Self Help Group
will use the compost from the toilets to grow seedlings for sale to the
surrounding community. Some trees, donated by the NGO Trees for the Future,
have already been planted!
To donate to this project, please click on the link
below.