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THE POWER OF WATER: KONYEK BOREHOLE
On the 15th June 2023, life changed for the women living in the rural Samburu village of Konyek. This was the day that safe drinking water came gushing into their village, bringing an end to their daily water crisis and transforming their existence. Thanks to a guest from Germany who visited Sasaab, The Samburu Project (TSP) was able to drill a new borehole.
Having dreamt of riding camels in Kenya as a small child, Konyek’s donor visited Sasaab. What he did not imagine was that he was going to change the lives of women living a rural village in northern Kenya forever.
The sign for the new borehole pump in Konyek Village, Samburu >
Life Without Water
Life without access to clean water is unimaginable for most of us. But in the arid Samburu region of northern Kenya, it is a daily reality. Women leave home before the sun is up to find water and don’t return for five hours or more. When they do find water, it is usually contaminated, unsafe for drinking and too little. It must also be carried for hours back to the village.
A Water Story Part 1: Life Without Water
Hope on the Horizon
Desperate to end their water crisis, Annah Dokoya applied to The Samburu Project (TSP) on behalf of her village. She was one of 18 communities who contacted TSP. Each village was visited and assessed on their level of need, as well as suitability of the area for a well. Ten communities were selected, funding from generous donors was secured for each and Konyek Village was the first to receive its well. Davis & Shirtliff kindly provided solar panels and a pump.
A Water Story Part 2: Hope on the Horizon
Konyek borehole is the 147th well dug in the Samburu region thanks to donor funding.
The Power of Water
A Water Story Part 3: The Power of Water
The women of Konyek Village women never imagined the day would come when they would have access to safe water. As the drill hit the water table and it came bursting upwards, shrieks of joy and dancing rippled amongst the onlookers.
Access to safe water has transformed the lives of these Samburu women
Water has changed everything for these women. Their children are now safe from water-borne diseases and the extra time means that some have been able to start businesses and use the income to send their children to school. TSP conducts maintenance training, hygiene and sanitation workshops to ensure every village gets the most out of their new well.
Women of Konyek Village rejoicing during the opening ceremony
Impact of tourism and guest support
Samburu woman enjoying safe water on tap
Tourism can bring life-changing impacts to the quality of life in remote communities. Guests choose to support sustainable development projects such as this one for many different reasons. In the case of Konyek, the generous donor wanted to dedicate this life changing well to the memory of his parents. We’re delighted that our partnership with The Samburu Project and other partners in Westgate Community can pave the way for positive change.
You can make a difference to the lives of rural women living in Kenya without access to safe drinking water by donating through our Footprint Trust. Simply select ‘The Samburu Project’ from the drop-down menu under ‘Service Type’. Alternatively, get in touch with our Footprint Director at footprint@thesafaricollection.com.
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