WOTE: Over 9,500 residents in Makueni County are set to gain access to improved water infrastructure through a grant of 172 million shillings from Charity Water. The funds will be used to sink three boreholes across Kilome, Makueni, and Kibwezi West sub-counties, benefiting communities in Kasikeu, Mavindini, and Nguu/Masumba wards from August 2024 to July 2025.
According to Kenya News Agency, the announcement was made by Welth Hunger Helfe (WHH) Field Officer James Wambua during a County Steering Group meeting chaired by Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. The boreholes will be located in Lumu, Kwa Makau, and Yumbuni, enhancing water access for local residents and schools. The project will include the construction of masonry tanks and a 36-kilometer pipeline to distribute water to 19 kiosks, each equipped with a 10-cubic-meter storage tank.
In addition to infrastructure, the grant will fund the upgrading and solarization of pumping systems and the installation of water ATMs. WHH will also implement hygiene
training for Community Health Promoters, who will work with Public Health Officers to ensure households meet sanitation standards. These efforts aim to declare the villages free from open defecation.
The project will incorporate innovations like inline chlorination on two boreholes and conduct a Life Cycle Cost Analysis on previous projects to enhance sustainability. Governor Kilonzo praised WHH’s past contributions to education and sanitation in the county and encouraged other development partners to emulate their impactful work.