Subject: Bridging the Gap: Our Kenya Visit

 

Bridging the Gap: Our Meetings in Kenya

From our June meetings in Kenya


Alex Lubwa has always wanted to fly in a plane and travel to someplace he’s never been. Nancy Masista wanted to be able to earn a living as a single mom that could provide for her children and their educations. Margaret Wafula, who described her previous self as a “very naïve” person who sat quietly lest she be laughed at, was looking for her voice.


These are the dreams that are part of the lives of our friends and partners in Kakamega, Kenya. And their stories, while local, are also universal. 


Since we first met Ms. Wafula in 2020, Margaret has found her voice. As Secretary of the Matsakha Development Group (MDG), Margaret is now a community leader with responsibilities for overseeing the production of Rainwater Catchment Tanks, entering into agreements with local schools, and representing MDG and Friendly Water to the public. She has also been given responsibilities at her church. She credits her confidence to the regular meetings she has with Heather Avery, the Finance & Administrative Manager of Friendly Water.


Meanwhile, Ms. Masista, Secretary for the Kambiri Community Development Group (KCDG), not only keeps the records for KCDG, she has also used her salary to hire an employee and open a kiosk selling mandazi (puffy fried bread). Nancy has been able to enroll her children in a “very nice academy”. “Thank you very much Friendly Water for trusting me…as I have seen myself grow from one level unto the next.”


Update- September 20, 2023


Alex hasn’t gotten on his plane yet. The ongoing drought and high inflation have impacted his ability to chemically fertilize and maintain his shamba (farm plot). For a while the family was missing meals. Soon after our visit, Alex and his family built a Permagarden which is drought-resistant and self-fertilizing using amended natural compost. The family now has enough to eat. Says Alex, “I have come to realize that people perish for lack of knowledge, and I want to thank Friendly Water for the World for getting this information to us.”


Everything Friendly Water promotes has a social, health, and economic benefit attached to it. We are proud to work alongside our sisters and brothers as, together, we tackle common challenges and celebrate our mutual successes. We look forward to our next gathering.


- Curt Andino, Executive Director

Monica Mukhwana's Message to Women

"My name is Monica Mukhwana. I am an active member of Kambiri Development Group. I am a widow and a mother of four children. Life has never been easy for me since the demise of my late husband. It taught me to be both a mother and a father. And because of this I am forced to any work to fend for my family. I was introduced to Friendly Water by my village elder and since then am actively involved in sales of soap which also gives me some income. When bricks came, I also jumped and did the work with men and am happy because we work as a team. I have delegated my soap sales to my daughter. My simple advice to my fellow women: let’s not be selective on working but rather embrace all work because this is what gives us a name."

Friendly Water Pilots Desiccating Toilet

There is a need for improved sanitation in western Kenya.


Most people either use open defecation or pit latrines.


Pit latrines, not having a concrete lining, introduce sewage directly into the watershed.


Most composting or desiccating toilets promoted by westerners are raised off the ground, up to 4-5 feet, which limits access to the very young, very old, handicapped or those with limited mobility (pregnant women).






Our toilet is made primarily from ISSB- so it performs an environmentally friendly task (watershed protection) while being made from environmentally friendly materials.


Our toilet is double chambered (six months on/ six months off per chamber).


It’s a prototype, we need to test it and (probably) adapt it before we start regular production.


Many schools have already asked for help with sanitation.


- Ezra Kigondu

Assistant Programs Manager, Africa

 

Lutheran Church in Seattle Funds Rainwater Catchment Tank at St. Tabitha Orphanage


St Tabitha Orphanage & Academy is an institution that started in the slums of Kibera in Nairobi in 2016 with an aim of paying tuition fees for the orphans and less fortunate children of the slums. This did not pick up very well as the pupils could not go to school without other basic needs which forced them to loiter around the slum. This informed the relocation of the institution to Butali-Chegulo Ward, which is in Kakamega county. The institution still gets orphans from the slums of Kibera and the community around. They also rescue young girls from West Pokot from Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), and forceful and early marriages. The institution has a population of 210 pupils starting from Early Child Development, primary section and Junior secondary.


This summer, Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church in Seattle, Washington, USA provided a generous donation to build a rainwater catchment tank at St. Tabitha Orphanage & Academy. The children now have a reliable and safe source of water, and girls no longer are sent (often long distances) during the school day to retrieve water. In addition to providing water security, this project has led to improved social well-being and personal safety for these young girls.


Many thanks to Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church from Friendly Water and all the children at St. Tabitha Orphanage & Academy!


- Ezra Kigondu, Assistant Programs Manager, Africa

 
Friendly Water for the World, 900 Jefferson St. SE, Unit 6070, Olympia, WA 98501, United States

You may unsubscribe or change your contact details at any time.

    This is an online snapshot of a newsletter created by the owner of Email Master List (Friendly Water for the World, 900 Jefferson St. SE, Unit 6070, 98501 Olympia, United States) and sent via GetResponse on 2023-10-04. Report abuse