Well Site Found on Community Property!

After months of anticipation, a well site has been located in Lkurroto!!!

Here's Lucas' update:

I am excited to report to you yet another big success at Lkuroto site ( Daniels village). After spending nearly a whole day driving with Kariuki, we arrived in Maralal late after noon and immediately began surveying. We were amused by the number of village elders who were there to receive us of course with Daniel. It took us 7 sites before we eventually got potential site for drilling. We pegged before heading for late lunch.

In a later email, Lucas attached pictures with a young boy fetching water from a traditional water source. He wrote:

This is the only water source in Lkurroto village. It is even worse during drought. What a pity!

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This well is your well, this well is my well...

Lucas and Kariuki travelled to Maralal on Thursday, November 1st to locate a viable well site in Lkurroto. They had a problem with the car on Friday (shocking!) so began surveying on November 2nd evening. Initially, they went to survey near Daniel’s manyatta where they looked at three potential sites. There was no water.

On November 3rd, they were approached by the community who asked what they were doing. They were concerned because they had not been involved with the decision making process. With this, Lucas decided to mobilize the community on Sunday, November 4th by going to churches etc. He met the chief, area councilor and community leaders. The biggest thing he learned is that in Maralal, the land is subdivided, not like Samburu East where all land is community property. Everyone has their individual land.

On November 5th and 6th, they had extensive meetings and it was decided that If they find water anywhere, the land owner should be committed to donating the land to the community and give people access to it.

Kariuki will return to Maralal on November 14th to complete the survey.

Rain in Maralal

It is raining cats and dogs and Maralal town. This makes hydrogeological surveying challenging. Kariuki and Lucas have decided to delay our final survey for Well Drill #6 until the rains have stopped and the earth has dried a bit. We are hoping this will happen in the next week or so. Daniel Lentipo who is leading the well project in Lkurroto is standing by and will update us with the weather is in our favor. Stay tuned!

Kariuki Lost in the Bush

Hydrogeologic surveys were scheduled to begin on July 12th, however, our wonderful hydrogeolgist, Joseph Kariuki, was delayed. He rescheduled to arrive in Wamba on July 22nd, but he has yet to appear. We hope that he has just gotten stuck in the bush on another job. Oftentimes, there is no mobile signal where he works. We will send an update as soon as he surfaces.