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February 9th,
2012- Yoko HAYASHI of Tokyo Headquarters office conducts field research on the local
water situation. (Mutomo District, Kitui County)
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In response to the drought
that struck East Africa last year, AAR JAPAN carried out an emergency
assistance operation from August to November 2011, distributing food and
non-food items to disaster victims in northeastern Kenya. We also set up tents
to be used as elementary schools and distributed school supplies in refugee
camps in Dadaab near the Somali border, where there was a massive influx of
drought-affected refugees. Currently, we are engaging in a project to deliver safe
water in Mutomo District, Kitui County in the Eastern Province, an area
suffering from severe water shortage. This report is made by Yoko HAYASHI, who
is in charge of the Kenya project at the AAR JAPAN Tokyo Headquarters office,
based on her 1-month visit in Kenya earlier this year.
In the Effort to Reduce Potential Damages
Caused by Future Droughts
In spite of the
average amount of rainfall seen throughout Kenya during the wet season last
October, there have been repeated cases of drought in the Eastern and North
Eastern Provinces, indicating a possibility of further water shortage in these
regions. In Kitui County of the Eastern Province, only a third of the
population has access to safe water around their homes even when there is no
drought, and the rest must draw water from wells and rivers that are 2 to 7 km
away by foot.
Generally, it is the
women or children’s responsibilities to bring home water. When we spoke to
those who were drawing water at the river, they told us that they would be able
to spend this time on going to school, farming, and being with their families
if they had closer access to water.
In response, AAR JAPAN
made a decision to initiate a project that would provide safe water in Mutomo
District, Kitui County and began field research in December 2011.
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February 9th,
2012- The seasonal streams would fill up with water during the wet season, and
dry up during the dry season. Women and children would dig holes in these
streams and carry home the water that surfaced from the ground on their
donkeys’ backs. (Mutomo District, Kitui County)
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February 9th,
2012- A woman draws water from a seasonal stream. Since she has no access to
water around her home, she must travel 3 hours on foot to this steam. The water
is used for drinking, cooking, and other daily needs. (Mutomo District, Kitui
County)
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Not Rainwater, Not Water from Riverbeds, but Clean Water
from a Shop
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April 10th,
2012- Local residents proactively participate in setting up the pipelines.
Joyce, pictured in the center, told us, “I’ve had to spend an entire day walking
to get water, but the pipelines would allow us to access a larger amount of
water closer to home. I’m extremely thankful.” (Mutomo District, Kitui County)
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Starting in February
2012, we have been setting up pipelines that will enable the delivery of water
from deep wells, which would not dry up in the case of a drought, to remote
areas that have limited access to clean water. In addition, we have been
constructing water shops that will sell the water carried through the pipelines
with a twist of a faucet. The water will be sold to the local residents at a
low price and the profit would be allocated for repair costs of the pipelines
and water shops.
We also have plans to
build a bathroom nearby, and instruct the community members on how to use the
toilets and the importance of washing their hands and other hygiene measures.
Furthermore, we will set up a committee that would manage the water shops and
bathrooms. By selecting the committee members through an election led by the
residents themselves and managing the water supply system including the
pipelines and water shops on their own, our objective is for the residents to
operate and utilize the equipment on a long-term basis.
We plan to set up 2 pipelines (12 km in total
length), 4 water shops, and 4 bathrooms by this coming June.
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March 20th,
2012- We procured materials for the pipelines that are to be used for
delivering water to areas with limited water sources. Pictured on the left is
AAR staff member Daigo TAKAGI and on the right is Moeko NAGAI. (Mutomo District,
Kitui County)
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February 22nd,
2012- We gathered the residents of the area where we plan to set up the water
shops and selected the steering committee members. Pictured in the center with
a white T-shirt is AAR staff member Chiya NAGASHIMA. (Mutomo District, Kitui
County)
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*This
project was made possible thanks to a grant provided by Japan Platform in
addition to generous individual donations.
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Yoko HAYASHI, AAR
JAPAN Tokyo office
Studied French and
French colonial geopolitical history at university. After working for an
airline company and a Japanese diplomatic office overseas, joined AAR JAPAN. Began
working in the Xieng Khouang office in Laos in December 2010, and transferred
to the Tokyo office in October 2011 as a coordinator for the Kenya project.
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