Residents of Skuma village in Ngaremara, Isiolo County have benefited from a borehole project by Merti Integrated Development Programme (MID_P) in partnership with the County Government. The project which was funded by the German Federal Foreign Office (OXFAM) will benefit over 200 households in the area that have been grappling with acute water shortage. The Community Water Project Manager Robert Ngakutan said the borehole will rid local women and girls of the struggle of travelling long distances in search of water for domestic and livestock use. ‘We are happy that we have a watering point for our livestock within the village and we will now have enough time to search for pasture and salvage the emaciated ones,’ he said. The project has an elevated storage tank with a capacity of 50 cubic metres alongside three water kiosks and is surrounded by an electric fence to keep wildlife away. While commissioning the project, Deputy Governor Dr James Lowasa said the County Government will offer technical assistance to the beneficiaries. ‘Use the monthly levies to handle minor repairs in the event of a breakage,’ he said. MID_P Program manager Mr Ibrahim Kabelo said besides the Ngaremara borehole, they had also implemented similar projects in Kinna, Rapsu, and Barambate. Mr Kabelo challenged local residents to start kitchen gardens at their homes to deal with hunger that has been occasioned by the ongoing drought. ‘We are also carrying out a cash transfer program targeting 667 hunger-stricken families in Modogashe and Badana areas which will run for a duration of six months,’ Mr Kabelo added. OXFAM Project Coordinator in the County Margret Msundi said that they have also donated jericans, bar soaps and water storage tanks to 95 households in the area. ‘We are keen on assisting residents on hygiene issues by training community health volunteers on sanitation,’ Ms Msundi added. National Drought Management Authority Coordinator in Isiolo county Omar Abdi urged the resident to take advantage of the borehole water to plant trees in order to attract enough rainfall and maintain water sources in the area. ‘It’s our responsibility to plant drought resistant trees in the area to make our environment clean and attract rainfall,’ he added.
Source: Kenya News Agency