Report: D5W1: Upper Margwe Well

Funded by Ryan's Well Foundation, The Samburu Project will drill and install a shallow well equipped with a handpump in the Upper Margwe community.

This community was chosen because children, especially girls, do not attend school because they spend most of their time looking for water. The population is also very high. On average, people walk 6 km each way in search of water.

The community expects to benefit in a number of ways: women will have time to participate in income-generating activities, children will attend/have time to go to school, and they will have clean, safe drinking water.

The community anticipates using the well for the following purposes: to enhance their livelihoods through farming, to use water for domestic and livestock purposes, and the establishment of a community meeting point where elders will meet to pass key resolutions of the community.

Five sites were surveyed before finding a viable site.

A well committee has been created and roles have been established. A community fund will be established once the well has been drilled in August 2011.