ROTARY CLUB OF SANTA BARBARA NORTH<\/p>\n
Press Release Regarding Kyaani Kenya Water Well Project<\/p>\n
March 18, 2019<\/p>\n
In 2012, the Rotary Club of Santa Barbara North completed a successful, multi-phased project spanning several years from 2008 through 2012, in which a water well was drilled near Ngu Nyumu, Kenya, and infrastructure was added to transport the water to about 4,000 people.<\/p>\n
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In 2016, we again partnered with Evie Treen and geologist Pal Pauer to drill a well on the grounds of a secondary school in Kyaani, Kenya, which is about 30 miles southeast of Nairobi and in the same Machakos region as our first project in Ngu Nyumu.\u00a0 The host Rotary Club for this project is the Rotary Club of Machakos Syokimau, a club that was started in 2014, and has several young women from the area in leadership roles.\u00a0 William Muli is also a member of this Rotary Club.\u00a0 William is originally from Ngu Nyumu and was instrumental in the management and success of both of these projects.<\/p>\n
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Evie Treen, who has visited Kenya many times and is keenly aware of the need for water in remote villages, made our club aware of the need for water at the Kyaani High School in 2016.\u00a0 Evie is the founder of Friends of Woni International, Inc., a USA non-profit formed to help the needy in Kenya.\u00a0 Evie is also the owner of Vision Adventure Safaris, the USA affiliate of Woni Safaris, a Nairobi company owned in part by William Muli.\u00a0 We began raising funds for this project and ultimately obtained a grant of $13,125 from the Rotary Club of Santa Barbara North Charitable Foundation.\u00a0 Other contributors to the project were:<\/p>\n
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Rotary Club of Santa Barbara North\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 $4,000<\/p>\n
Friends of Woni Kenya (Evie Treen\u2019s NPO)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 $1,700<\/p>\n
Rotary Club of Oxnard\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 $1,435<\/p>\n
Rotary Club of Machakos Syokimau\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 $\u00a0\u00a0 100<\/p>\n
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Using Rotary International\u2019s Global Grant process, these funds were matched by Rotary District 5240, which contributed $12,500, and by The Rotary Foundation which added an additional $18,587 using a Word Fund Match.\u00a0 In total, over $50,000 was raised.\u00a0 The money was spent to drill a water well and also to install a solar powered pumping system.<\/p>\n
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We were able to again enlist the generous services of Pal Pauer, who\u2019s skill at locating well sites was used to determine the best site for the well.\u00a0 Pal Pauer is a hydro-geologist from California, and was present during the drilling of the well.\u00a0 The well site is actually on the grounds of the Kyaani High School, so the school board members acted as the Community Based Organization for this project.<\/p>\n
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Almak Aqua Drillers from nearby Machakos, Kenya, was again hired to drill the well.\u00a0 The well was drilled on September 25, 2017 and water was reached at a depth of 210 meters.\u00a0 On May 3, 2018, the pump, solar panels, water tanks and distribution system were completed.\u00a0 Fencing around the well site was completed on June 19, 2018.\u00a0 Training of the community in the operation and maintenance of the well, water handling and usage, and sanitation was completed by Kyaani High School staff on July 12, 2018.\u00a0 The system is working at full capacity and is able to fill four 10,000-liter tanks of water every day.<\/p>\n
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The project was dedicated on November 7, 2018 by members of the Rotary Clubs of Santa Barbara North and Machakos Syokimau, as well as members of the Kyaani High School and local community, and a plaque with the Rotary wheel was installed at the well site. \u00a0The presence of water at the Kyaani School expedited the construction of a girls dormitory, which was completed in November 2018.<\/p>\n
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The well is maintained by the High School staff, with oversight from William Muli and other members of the Rotary Club of Machakos Syokimau.\u00a0 The water is currently being used to serve the Kyaani High School and surrounding community of approximately 2,000 people.<\/p>\n
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