2005-2006 District Awards

Rotary International District 3450

Award Category: Water

Submitting Club: Rotary Club of Hong Kong Island East

Project Name: Water Project in Kenya

Project Summary:

In early 2006, we were approached by World Vision Hong Kong for participating this project. After reviewing the proposal, the board decided to take part in this project. The Board has allocated budget and also with the financial contribution from our PP Hubert Chan so that we will go ahead to help the villagers in Kenya. The borehole will be constructed in this summer after receiving our donation to this project.

A Cheque Presentation Ceremony will also be arranged in our Weekly Luncheon on 19th April 2006. RC of Hong Kong Island East and PP Hubert Chan will present a cheque of HK$298,000 for the operation cost of this project.

1. Background

* The 2005 October- December short rains have failed, culminating in 3-6 poor seasons. The Northern & Eastern Districts of the country received less than 20% of expected rainfall in past few months.

* Recent food security assessments have confirmed that the food security and livelihood crisis in the Northern and eastern pastoral districts has worsened after the failed October-December short-rains season.

Source: Kenya Food Security Update, Jan 4, 2006 (www.fews.net)

2. Consequences of drought

* Hunger - crops cannot grow without enough rainfall (3.5 million Kenya people are in food shortage)

* Animal death - lack of water & pasture leads to animal deaths (e.g. goats) which produces less nutritious food

* Malnutrition - mortality rate, due to a combination of malnutrition-related diseases, will rise

* Health - lack of clean water leads to health problem (e.g. diarrhea)

* Education - children could not go to school as they need to go for a long distance to fetch water

* Conflicts - desperate search for water & pasture have intensified clashes between Kenyan herders & pastoralists

3. Project Objectives

To construct boreholes and motorized water pumps as the source of potable water for the beneficiary communities and their livestock alleviating immense suffering. Each borehole and motorized water pump can serve 10,000 - 20,000 people.

The advantages of boreholes and motorized water pumps include:

* Provide a steady supply of potable water whenever is needed as it runs by fuel

* Benefit more people

* Greatly reduce trekking distances to watering points

* Enable the beneficiary communities to save time and emergency for other household activities such as fending for food.

4. Budget

Benefit of this project to Rotarians:

1. To further understand how "Water" can affect people's life so much, especially in those under-developed countries.

2. To promote international cooperation among rotarians because we are global citizens in this world.

3. To motivate our members to promote the importance of keeping our water resources good and best for our living to their family members and their friends.

4. To explore the opportunity of paying a visit by our members to Kenya to experience the actual situation there and let them have a live lesson.

Benefit of this project to Club, District and Rotary International:

1. To establish a positive service image of Rotary when dealing with NGO in Hong Kong and their counter parts in other parts of the world.

2. To strengthen our Rotary mission as a Service Organization to the needy people in this world.

3. To echo to the RI emphasis theme in 2005-2006 and to show the unity of different clubs on good cause around the world.

Benefit of this project to Community in Kenya:

1. To provide steady water supply for the people living around the borehole construction area. It can be used for people's living and feeding animal with no natural disaster interruption of water supply because it makes use of fuel to pump water out from the ground.

2. To provide better water quality and keep better hygienic standard for better health among all the people living around the borehole.

3. To increase the mortality rate of children because they will be raised up in a better environment and with less malnutrition-related diseases.

4. Since crops can be fertilized easily with water, it will reduce food shortage chance in the long run. Hunger problem will be solved eventually.

5. To keep better health by the children because it will eliminate several kind of sickness created by poor water resource (e.g. diarrhea)

6. To improve the literacy level of children because children no longer require to go for a long distance to fetch water. They have more time to study.

7. To eliminate conflicts between people during fighting for water resources

8. Since animals can live longer before they are sold for living, farmers will improve their living standards gradually.

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