Access to Potable Water     

Community water project in Kalama division, in Machakos district
The larger Machakos district experiences recurrent episodes of acute water shortage. Deficiencies in water supply and sanitation significantly hamper economic opportunities and decrease the quality of life in most rural households in the region.
The people of Kalama division in Machakos district have been suffering for lack of clean water for years. Women travel long distances to look for the precious resource, spending many hours walking to and from the few water points in the division. School children on the other hand have to miss classes to fetch water for use in their schools.
After years of search for water, the members of several community self help groups approached PEN for assistance to construct water harvesting facilities in selected areas. With grants from AusAid since 2004, PEN has responded by initiating water projects in Kyakilai, Mulaani, Muthumo, Kyangala and Kikongooni.
The four projects will serves an approximately 20,000 people and provide water for livestock. For project maintenance the community groups charge a minimal fee from those fetching water.

Mrs. Monica Mulela, a member of Kyakilai water project, explains with relief, ‘Before this project, I used to spent three hours drawing water. I hardly found time to cultivate my farm and look after my children. My children often suffered from complications such as skin rashes scurvies and stomachaches. My back was always aching and I was fatigued. Today it takes me only 20 minutes to fetch water and I have all the time to tend my farm, look after children, grow vegetables and I have a tree nursery. The backache has disappeared while my children have fewer health complications. My crop yield has improved and I even get a little money from sale of vegetables’.

To ensure the success of the project, PEN involved the community groups at all the stages of planning and implementation. The communities have contributed significant amount of time and resources towards the implementation of the project. For instance, the community contributed labour, and construction materials (sand and gravel).The community members have also been trained on maintenance of these water installations, to enable them repair the equipment whenever there is a breakdown.