TRIVANI FOUNDATION UPDATE           

December 03, 2008            

Feedback from the Field: Oreu Kasanju, County Manager of Kenya, Shares Experiences from the Taru Water Pipe Handover Ceremony

As featured in the last Trivani Foundation Update, the Taru Water Pipe was recently completed! This is a great achievement that provides close access to clean water for thousands of children and family members. This monumental project was officially completed with a handover ceremony, where the Trivani Foundation and our in-country partner, Choice Humanitarian, were honored as chief guests. Oreu Kasanju, Trivani Country Manager of Kenya, shares some feedback from this great occasion:

“We had the handover ceremony for the Taru water project on the 20th of Nov. The process went on smoothly. Mama Rita from Choice Humanitarian and Trivani Foundation were honored as chief guests. We also had representation from the government, surrounding community, in addition to the school and water management committees, parents, teachers and students.

“The school had prepared entertainment. There was a play that dramatized the whole progression of the project: from our initial visit to introduce Trivani up to the point that we were opening the taps. Further, they had songs, dancing, and poems that were recited.

“In their speeches, the government representative, community, and school expressed their heartfelt gratitude to Trivani for the support that saw water come to Taru Primary School and community. They said the project will have such an impact in their lives that the best gift they will give us in return is for each person in the area to remember Trivani in their most silent and secret moment. They spoke of the tremendous lessons and hope we gave them as the project progressed.

Now the people of Taru Primary and surrounding 1,000 families have easier access to water. In addition, the school has started selling the water to the community and with good management they will have an income stream that will assist them to transform the school and the area.”

School and Project Background:
Taru is located in Kinango District in rural Kenya. Most people in this region rely on livestock and mixed farming. The environment is very arid and often there is a deficit in household food sources. Household sizes are large, with an average of 6 to 8 members. The water project was requested by the school management committee and the parents on behalf of the entire community, in an effort to significantly reduce the previous 3 km one-way journey to collect water. This project was received with great cooperation from the community and thousands are now benefitting from this close, clean water source.

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