TrekkingthePlanet.net Visit

Findings:
1. 1000+ people use this well.
2. Before the well, a family member had to walk 4 hours each way (8 hours total) to get water.
3. Perfect operating condition.
4. Nice fence built from wire and thorn bushes.
5. Goals and donkeys share the well (but not cows).
6. Since the well was drilled, a school has formed under a tree (we only saw the blackboard because it was later in the day). We were told that there are approx. 50 children now attend.
7. A kitchen area is being constructed nearby.

Used to upload photos

See photos

July Visit

Routine Visit. Well is in good working condition.

Stephanie Ng's Visit- May 2012

We arrived at Lbaa lo Ltepes 1/Remot 2 Well to find several Samburu mamas using the well. They told us that they used spend the entire day (from very early in the morning till the evening) searching for water. Now, they are literally minutes away from the well. One of the ladies laughed as she said that if you are in the middle of cooking and realize you do not have enough water, you could put a pot on the stove with some oil and spices, run to the well to get water, and return to the pot being ready to add the water and other ingredients.

They use the water for drinking, eating, and washing. They have a rule in the community that the only animals that can drink from this well are the baby livestock. They enforce this rule in order to protect the well from contamination and ensuring that it will not be overused.

With the time saved, women can now engage in many different jobs –they go to the market to trade livestock and buy food, look after the animals and children, and tend to various domestic duties.

When asked how this well has changed their daily life, Yapais Lesamana said the following statement: “This well gave birth to this nursery.” Because of this well, the community was able to form their own nursery which is attended by 110 small children! The number of girls to boys in the nursery is about even. Although she doesn’t know the number of children that go to primary school, she knows that it is more than the nursery attendance. She noted that there are more boys in primary school than girls mainly because girls are married off when they are very young. The biggest problem facing this community now is the lack of structure for the nursery.

Currently they are in the process of making a kitchen out of tall branches and sticks. For now, all 110 students meet under this big tree and have to sit on the floor. Though they still have a long way to go in building a safe, permanent structure for the nursery, everyone is grateful for the opportunity to send their children to school and all the parents do whatever they can do to help build the school including pulling all the weeds that grow under the tree so that the students have a firm, dry place to sit.

When asked how the well has personally changed her life, Yapais said that she can now save the energy she used to expend in search of water. Instead of spending the entire day looking for water, Yapais is now the cook for the new nursery. Furthermore, prior to when they had the well, many baby animals would die during the drought season. Now, no more of the baby animals die and instead all of them grow to become adults, which is very profitable and bodes well for the community.

As to the working condition of the well, there was a problem with the rubbers about a month ago but Paul was to fix it and since then the well is pumping water at its normal flow. The gate and barbed fencing is still intact in kept in great condition.

• DSCN0340...
• DSCN0331...
• DSCN0342...
• DSCN0333...

June 2011 Update by Paalo Lekuuk

Routine visit and well is functional.

May 2011 Update by Paalo Lekuuk

Fixed and replaced rubber. The well is functional.

March 2011 Update by Lucas Lekwale

Fixed a broken rod and replaced plastic casing. In addition, Lucas fitted 3 pvc pipes. The well is now functional.

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:
-Incredible well! Their fencing and maintenance should be a MODEL for all communities! This is a community where we should build upon their well.
-Met with chairwoman. Her twin brother is in the military.
-Original fence and gate in tact. They enhanced fence with barbed wire after someone tampered with it.
-Community has been innovative with repairs: Fixed loose pump head with tire rubber.
-When there has been an issue, community has raised funds to fix the pump. They raised 3500KSH, every MAN contributed 100KSH.
-2000+ people are benefiting from the well
-After the well was drilled, community began a nursery school. The community contributes 3,500 KSH/month for the teacher and 1,000 KSH/month for the cook. Sometimes this is challenging to maintain.

• Kristen_...
• the_Samb...
• the_Samb...

Falkenberg Family Visit 2010

Please see the pictures below for the Falkenberg Family's visit to this well in June 2010. (D3W8)

• Woman_ca...
• Samburu_...
• Samburu_...
• Samburu_...
• Samburu_...

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

Notes from the Lbaa Ltepes Well:
-The community asked for a trough for their animals
-The community also requests an extra fence to protect from both domestic and wild animals
-They also want to plant a small garden near the well because the market is far away.
-They can use the water from the well and the land, but they don't have tools and seeds. Ideally this garden would include kale, potatoes and onions.
-The well has never broken. If it does the community knows what to do.
-Community is very thankful for the well because the Lbaa Ltepes River has water for less than 1 month a year.

• Samburu_...
• Shot_of_...
• Samburu_...
• The_Falk...
• Samburu_...
• Samburu_...
• Samburu_...