Kerio Valley Development Authority (KVDA) has launched a giant water project estimated to cost Sh 8 million in the water scarce part of Tiaty West Sub County that will serve over 3, 000 households and a secondary school.
Speaking during the official launch of the project at Kolowa Secondary school grounds on Wednesday, KVDA chairman Mark Chesergon said that the borehole seeks to address drought and water deficit in the area also faced with insecurity challenge.
Chesergon accompanied by senior officials said that Kolowa borehole was one of the drought mitigation programmes the organization is undertaking in five ASAL counties of Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot, Turkana and Samburu.
“Drilling of this borehole will commence immediately after which we will install a solar pumping machine and build water troughs that will serve livestock of the neighbouring community,” the KVDA boss said.
He said that they prioritize the location of the site to be at the school since it needs water the most and the fact that they can manage it better.
Chesergon who distributed 100 mango seedlings, as a way of adopting conservation agriculture method, urged residents to maintain peace especially along common borders noting that the organization for example in the past few years has faced challenges in accessing the lower parts of Kerio Valley region.
“As a result of this insecurity, our officers have been unable to capacity build farmers on best agricultural practices and implement various planned projects activities like farming at Chepkum farm which has been abandoned due to attacks from bandits,” he pointed out.
Institution Acting Deputy Principal, Miriam Mengich in her remarks welcomed the borehole project saying that it will solve a water crisis in the school which has been their major concern for many years.
Mengich noted that students at the mixed secondary school end up wasting a lot of time after class and in the morning searching for water to bathe.
“The drilling of the borehole will be a huge boost to our school because our students normally fetch water at a lager which is 3 kilometres away and, in the process, a lot of time is wasted besides fetching dirty polluted water,” she said.
The deputy principal also stated that buying water has remained a very costly affair since it consumes a lot of money which could be spent on noble programmes.
Kolowa Location Chief Benjamin Keseten commended KVDA for initiating the project in the area adding that availing water will allow learners at the school which enroll students mostly from warring communities of Pokot, Marakwet and Tugen concentrate fully on their studies.
Keseten revealed that it has been difficult on his part coordinating with the school administration to station some members of the community to watch over the students while they fetch water at the dangerous river.
Jane Lourien, a committee member of the school, said provisions of water will in turn boost performance of the school and improve on hygiene.
She said that the water is important especially for cooking and for use especially by the girls enrolled at the school who need to bathe on a regular basis.
By Benson Kelio and Joshua Kibet
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