Breaking Ground, Solving Problems

When drilling in this region, which is right near the volcanic Mt. Kilimanjaro, we never know what lies below the surface. Earlier this year, the hydrogeological survey told us where the water was, but the kind of rocks underneath were a mystery until drilling happened.

On June 30, we broke ground. The conditions were less than ideal. Olmoti’s soil is volcanic, so it’s filled with minuscule pockets of air. During drilling, the pulverized rocks shot out of the borehole via compressed air. The walls of the borehole also were too loose, so they collapsed several times.

The volcanic soil was also loose. As water was ejected from the borehole, that water was absorbed into the air pockets. The soil turned muddy, and the collapsing walls of the borehole caused several delays in drilling. Fortunately, our team was on the ground monitoring the drilling the entire time. At each road bump, we helped the drillers problem-solve, communicate with their boss in town, and devise solutions. For example, we solidified the walls of the trouble zone with 8-inch casings so drilling could continue.

After 50 meters of arduous drilling, we hit first water—which is in abundance. After a day of drilling, you could put your ear to the borehole and hear it slushing around at the bottom. In total, we drilled 312 feet, or 95 meters, to tap into the lower aquifer so Olmoti’s borehole won’t run dry.

What Comes Next

Test pumping followed a week later. The pump ran for 4 hours at 15,000 liters/hour, and the water level didn’t change. This tells us the water will flow well and consistently while not depleting the supply. The water itself is also clean, which means it’s potable. Many people showed up for test pumping and filled their jerry cans so they could bring water home without having to walk for hours to find it.

The next phase of this project is construction. As always, not only do we have to build the infrastructure needed to support the borehole and make it functional, we also have to elephant-proof it. Reinforced concrete will prevent elephants from destroying the borehole as they try to retrieve the now-accessible water. There will also be a pump house, water point, water tank, latrines, and other features built around the borehole. To run the borehole, a water pump and solar panels will be added.

Our boreholes in Kenya are expensive, but that’s because they need to sustain the community. Once the project is completed, women and girls will no longer have to walk up to eight hours a day to find water. This will give women the opportunity to earn money to send their children to school—and girls will have a chance to attend, too, because the cost will no longer be prohibitive.

Lives are going to change for the better! Thank you for believing in this borehole project and supporting the Olmoti community. We can’t help them without you, and we look forward to more good news about the Olmoti borehole!

The post Global Linkages Water Project: July Update for Olmoti appeared first on Water is Life Kenya.

We’d like to introduce you to Global Linkages as well as tell you more about our goals for this project.

Linking People to Africa

Founded in 1997 and based in the NJ-NYC metropolitan area, Global Linkages, Inc. is a management consulting firm that specializes in developing partnerships between the United States and the African continent with a particular focus on the African Diaspora.

As part of its services, Global Linkages provides a “boutique travel experience” that connects individuals, educational institutions, governments, businesses, and community development organizations with unique and exciting explorations in Africa. The goal is to provide an immersive experience that goes beyond traditional tourism by building deep relationships with the communities that they visit. Groups have traveled to Ghana, South Africa, Morocco, Senegal, and, in 2022, Kenya and Tanzania.

Lorna Johnson, owner of Global Linkages, has coordinated both state trade missions as well as community development tours to various African countries. She gives travelers a lasting experience by performing service projects while they’re abroad. Her focus is on organizations whose work includes international and global interests.

“We Want to Help”

In 2022, Global Linkages organized two tours to Kenya. During an East African Tour, a partnership was established with members of Olmoti, a Maasai community near Amboseli National Park in Kenya.

This community has many needs, and after seeing their situation travelers decided to help them. The initial request was to provide school supplies and sneakers for children, and over 160 pairs of shoes were shared. However, it soon became clear that more help was needed. As travelers rode through the towns and countryside, they saw dry, red dust everywhere but very little green vegetation.

Maasai tour guides described how the lack of water was killing their cattle and, with them, entire livelihoods. One family’s herd which was 60 heads of cattle—assets that essentially act as bank accounts—was reduced to 3 during the drought. Men traveled hundreds of miles away to find pasture, which stressed families tremendously.

After her two trips to Kenya, she realized Global Linkages could do more work to help the people they visited. After learning about the work we do at WILK, Lorna reached out to us to work together and bring a stable water source to Olmoti. Together, we decided a borehole project would be the most beneficial resource for this community.

Olmoti, Global Linkages, and WILK

Over the years, WILK has discovered that partnering with a strong community will make our projects more successful. Olmoti is an active community with good leadership that’s committed to serving its members. However, it’s located in the pathway of the Great Migration, which means dangerous wildlife inhibits water collection outside of the area. A borehole within the community would help people have direct access to clean water while preventing women and their daughters from encountering lions and other potential threats.

Wells in this region are incredibly deep and, therefore, elephant-proofed. Because of this extra precaution, the cost of this project is $100,000 USD. An investment in this community will secure not only their survival but also their self-reliance. By involving the Olmoti community—especially the women—at every step of this process, we’re ensuring this valuable water resource will be used, maintained, and respected for generations to come.

Both Global Linkages and WILK believe in partnering with local communities to help them become self-sufficient. We’re so happy to be working with Global Linkages while also helping the Olmoti community. To learn more and support this project, you can donate directly to the Global Linkages Water Project Campaign.

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