| Women and men gathered in the multipurpose hall of Kilalani Farmers Cooperative Society in a small village in Machakos to witness the launch of the borehole project that they have been looking forward to for a long time. As they entered the compund area, the two newly installed water tanks symbolized a new stage in the community's development. |
|
 |
 |
|
The solar-powered water tanks. |
“Maji ni Uhai” (water is life), explained Jacob Mutuku, chairman of the cooperative. This statement is now a reality for farmers and members of the farmers’ cooperative, thanks to the Innovative Finance for Improved Livelihoods (IFIL) project that has provided them with a small loan of Ksh 3.1 million.
For years, the region has experienced recurring droughts. In order to access water, the cooperative developed a local mechanism to tap rainwater using water pathways directing them into a manmade dam located within the 15 acres of land owned by smallholder coffee farmers. However, there was a downside:
“The water was usually dirty, and this meant that when we pulped or washed our coffee, it affected the coffee quality and gave the coffee an odor," explains Mutuku.
With this background, they sought financial support from IFIL to drill a borehole that would help improve the quality of their coffee and reduce the expenses that they spent to purchase clean water for coffee washing and pulping. |
|
"On average, we have been purchasing water worth Ksh 1,200,000 per year for coffee pulping; this is now freed up capital to be used for other inputs. This means that clean water will improve the quality of coffee and therefore improve income for smallholder farmers", continues Mutuku.
However, it has not been easy to access capital. The Kilalani farmers initially approached several banks and creditors without any success.
“Fortunately, when we approached Oikocredit, they agreed to fund the project. To ensure proper management of the resources and to enable farmers to pay back the loan, the board members and staff have gone through a variety of trainings. Apart from coffee processing, the water is a game-changer for the community; plenty of water will be provided to the community within the vicinity of the cooperative that has water challenges”, says Mutuku. |
|
 |
| Listen to some of the voices and watch glimpses of the launch. |
|
The borehole is also a great win for women and girls who have been walking long distances to access clean water.
“I can now afford to spend more time on my farm since I will no longer take the long walk, multiple times a day, to collect water," says Maureen Musau, a female farmer and member of the cooperative.
Waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea and typhoid will also be a thing of the past due to the clean water, and additionally, the project will also help improve food security by engaging the youth to plant vegetables and, as a result, earning an income by selling in the nearby market.
|
|
 |
| Elikanah Nganga represented Oikocredit at the launch. |
|
Speaking during the event, Elikanah Nganga, Oikocredit's Social Performance & Sustainability specialist, explained that “the IFIL project is financing renewable projects and the Kilalani solar-powered borehole is a testament that it is possible to support cooperatives in rural areas and to ensure communities access clean water, thanks to solar power. Solar (clean energy) powered boreholes ensure we don’t harm the environment and reduce water extraction costs.”
The sun is now seen as a blessing, instead of a curse.
Elikanah further adds: ‘’this is one of the projects that will address climate change risks among the community and help them to adapt’’.
It's truly heartwarming to witness the project launch and the positive contribution it will bring to this community.
/Catherine Waking'a, documenting the launch for the We Effect team in Nairobi. |
|
|
