Stephanie Ng's Visit- May 2012

When we arrived, no one was present at the well site. When I looked at the well closer I realized that well was not like our other wells with a hand pump and all. Instead, this well was enhanced for an agricultural initiative funded by M. Night Shyamalan Foundation. Instead of pumping water and collecting the water, the water is now directly piped underground to irrigate the adjacent farm. Therefore, instead of getting water from the well site, the community goes to the tank nearby which has a pipe pumping water to it.
This agricultural initiative was established several years prior and after a few successful seasons, the community, under the guidance of Reuben (our agricultural expert who actually a member of this community), decided to skip this planting cycle and let the soil be replenished with nutrients. Consequently, the community is letting nature run its course for now leaving the farm full of weeds and other indigenous plants. Even though this communal farm is not producing any produce, the community is not starving or set back since each household has their own small garden whereby they are continuing to grow crops for their sustenance. They hope that their decision to let the soil gain back the nutrients will result in an even greater harvest next year.

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Visit as part of conference in the field

As part of the PWX conference in the field, hosted by The Samburu Project, I visited the Milimani Well - one of 7 projects we visited.

Conference visit

A very encouraging project. The integration of the agricultural component in this project has really transformed the lives and livelihoods of the community around the borehole. It's interesting to see people reaching out to satisfy higher level needs once their need for water has been met. Good work!

Kristen Kosinski's Visit - February 2011

On her visit Kristen met with a variety of community members, including elders, children and the chairwoman of the community's women's group. Below is the information she gathered on this visit:
-Functioning with a generator that pumps water to a horticulture garden of about 3 acres.
-The garden provides crops like kale, cabbage, and fruit trees for both commercial and domestic use.
-The community is currently able to generate income to pay for school fees, to purchase goods and to start small businesses.

Sarah Ball's and Ashley Cook's Visit - June 2010

Notes from the Milamani Well:
-The well is no longer a hand pump. A pump and generator have been installed and the water is collected in three tanks, two of which serve irrigation and drinking water needs and one of which is solely for irrigation (it also draws water from the river).
-The well has enough water to supply all of Wamba because of the pump generator.

A successful agricultural initiative at the well site:

-Provides produce for much of Wamba. Crops include: sweet potatoes, bananas, kale, leeks, radishes, cabbage, spinach, honey, and potatoes.
-New irrigation systems cost as little as 500 ksh ($6.50).
-District/regional officials come to learn from the community.
-20 farmers in total and all of the farmers are women. Each woman owns her own plot and profits from it.
-Money from the produce supplies food, clothes, and school fees.
-This well site is a model for the district and beyond.
-The community desires to be self-sufficient.

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