Kenyan peasant farmers are moving into agricultural areas abandoned by white farmers. Due to the newness of the settlements (less than 10 years) a feeling of community has not yet been reached.
| Title | Making every drop count |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication | 1993 |
| Authors | Cumberlege, O |
| Pagination | p. 23-26: photogr. |
| Date Published | 1993-01-01 |
| Keywords | christian community services (nakuru, kenya), hand pumps, kenya nakuru, projects, rainwater storage, roof catchment, rower pumps, storage tanks, training |
| Abstract | Kenyan peasant farmers are moving into agricultural areas abandoned by white farmers. Due to the newness of the settlements (less than 10 years) a feeling of community has not yet been reached. Existing water sources (dams, boreholes) are no longer usable due to lack of maintenance. The Christian Community Services (CCS) water programme concentrates on rainwater harvesting as a low-cost, low maintenance water source. Their approach is five teams of three trainers each, specialized in water, agriculture and health, to teach groups of settlers to solve water problems. Ninety per cent of the group members are women; each month, monetary contributions are made to buy materials or to employ a mason to build a rainwater harvesting tank at one member's house, the member being chosen by a lottery. Several different types of tanks are built, including subsurface tanks. Good design is important for water quality, and the water is field-tested for faecal streptococci. Masons were trained in special CCS courses, which included marketing, bookkeeping, contract law and other new skills to traditional ones. |
| Custom 1 | 213.2, 824 |
