Tush and Nellie help Joy build a base for the rainwater collection tank
The real work of fixing and improving the rainwater harvesting system begins. In Kenya, rainwater is mostly not harvested. We’re going to use low tech methods so the system can be easily maintained.
Very heavy rain again overnight.
We came down to quiet as the children had set off early for school. Most of the junior age children board during the week but the smaller children come home every night.
First thing; we meet with Silas the General Manager and Purity The Manager, both in complete charge during Dr Karambu Ringera’s absence (the founder of KACH is on a speaking and teaching tour of US arranged since she received a Lifetime Award in recognition of her work).
Nellie helping build a base for the rainwater collection tanks
We need to check that our plans are aligned with what is needed and confirm decisions made with Joy who is just home for a couple of months, she’s studying a degree in Business and Marketing at the University of Surrey.
Silas is in complete agreement with our plans, he is in charge of finance, so delighted that we plan to help KACH save a considerable amount of money even though it requires outlay, and even happier when he hears of the generosity of our friends and family who have already committed several hundred dollars.
Tush and Nellie carry stones while Joy pushes a heavy wheelbarrow – the stones will be used to fill gabion bags which will support the new rainwater collection tank
We identify the best and simplest ways for people to donate (For anyone who wants to donate towards this ongoing work please make a BACS payment to our partners, Ecologia through whom we have charitable status for this project:
Account Number: 00122750
Reference “Stopcocks” please make sure to use the reference to ensure it reaches us. Please add your name and address if you are a UK tax payer so that they can claim the Gift Aid!
If you’d like to support ongoing work after this date you can use our Virgin Money donation page www.virginmoneygiving.com/team/cleanwater
For more on KACH please go to: http://www.ipeacei.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ipeacei and https://www.facebook.com/groups/233447061931/
Hattie and Joy go to town to buy the most necessary items and I settle to catch up with the blogging.
Before their return a water collection tank has already been delivered – great customer service!
When the children get home from school they help with the work.
Tonight we plan to go out once the rain has started and see where it goes. A longer term plan has been made for Hattie to design a system so that the internal water tanks can also collect rainwater so that showers and toilets can use this water rather than the bought Meru Water. As there may be elephants around again we have been advised to go out with the night watchman!
The driver Eric has promised to take us out to see elephants one night
I see the KACH kids were also helping – how very nice. As we create sustainable systems, our children need to learn so that their future is better than the present. Current trends have caused stress to the environment and it is not serving us well any more – we need to build the skills of the next generation who will help save our environment.
Environmentally friendly systems like harnessing rain water will help stop river-water harvesting up-stream that has cause many rivers in Meru County and Kenya to dry up.