Monday 30 May 2011

Monday 30 May 2011

The first picture is the photo of the Bio-Sand filter at Njoro after it had been shutdown for many months.  That is mole and mildew in the place where water is normally if the system is operating. 

Another beautiful day in Kenya, the birds are singing, roosters crowing and the Ibis are fussing at everything.  Up early and headed into the kitchen for that first cup of mixed tea.  Irene had the tea ready and I really enjoyed just sitting outside where no one would disturb me.

Jim and I were to meet with the water committee at 0830 and at 0900 we called and then by 0915 the person showed up but did not have the keys.  We sent our driver with him back to his home to get the keys so that we could get into the water purification room.  While they were gone I went and climbed to the top of the Bio-Sand filter that we had help build in 2009 only to find that the filter was not in use and by the mold and mildew that was in the filter it had not been used in a long time.  Why was the filter offline?  Who was the brain surgeon?  Why aren’t they using the system?  This did not make me happy at all but rather really made I very mad since both parties had spent so much time, effort and money to provide clean safe water now someone had taken it upon them to shut the system down.  I have many questions and I want some answers.

The water room of opened and it was obvious that they system was not being used and there were many excuses why but it did confirm that I have done all I can do here and I can control the actions of the people and water committee and their inability to make a plan and follow through with that plan.  When we left here last year the water was running great and the turbidy was very good.  I still have not heard an acceptable reason for the lack of use of the system.  It appears that they want to experiment with whatever comes down the road and will take advice from any and everybody.  This is alarming and could mean the end of my participation with this system.  Why should I waste my time, knowledge and experience with people who do not know what they want or what they have.  Sorry for the blowup but I have never seen such irresponsibility by any operating partner.  I hope that can get advice somewhere that can help them but who do they listen to?

We had a great lunch in Nakuru before we met with Njoki from Stillwater, OK and native Kenyan.  We had two sites to look at in Nakuru for possible water purification and solar.  The first place was at the Tumaini School where they had a borehole and was fully operational but was looking at the expansion of the facility and would need additional water.  The water is high in fluoride and they are using the best system available to remove the fluoride, crushed animal bones.  The local Egerton University has done extensive research and found this to be the most cost effective way to control fluoride.   High fluoride levels are rather common in the Rift Valley.  We could not help this location but we will keep in contact because of their knowledge in controlling the fluoride in the water.

The next location was at the Milele Hotel, a PCEA facility and offices of the Presbytery of Nakuru.  The borehole is new and we will wait for lab results on the water.  This would be a great showplace for the system and would be used to provide water not only for the offices but for the outlying  churches that cannot afford water.  The main interest here is possible water purification and solar for two small churches and communities in east and west of Nakuru.  These churches are located in areas with little rainfall and water is scarce for both humans and animals.  The church is also involved in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) that are in the Presbytery.  IDPs are a growing issue that the church and the government are both addressing.

Back to Njoro and our hosts for another night of sharing experiences and life.  It is possible that our host will be coming to US in September and if so we hope he will come and visit with us in Birmingham. 

Tomorrow we are off to Kisumu

More later