OUR SPONSORED INTERNATIONAL CHARITY 2022

A New Well for Cheputue Village, in Nandi County, Kenya

As part of our ECO Church initiatives for 2022 we sponsored the drilling of a well for drinking water in Cheputue Village, in Nandi County, Kenya, using a local manager, and organised by local Gastard resident Finlay Dove. Finlay has volunteered and worked in schools and communities in Kenya over the last 3 years while a student.

At first we had planned for the well to be in Kerina Village, in Kisii County, but plans have had to be changed due to the political situation in Kisii. Our original target was to raise £849 (128,000 Kenyan Shillings) which would hire specialised contractors to drill a borehole, install a manual pump, and set up a basic water treatment system.

With on line giving via this JustGiving Page, Gift Aid, Collections in Church, A Jazz Concert in the Church, and the sale of 'Easter knitted chickens' we raised an amazing total of £1100.

Unfortunately the final cost of the drilling contract increased to 155,000 Kenyan Shillings once we were ready to start work, due to increases in fuel costs, general inflation and exchange rate fluctuations. Because of this we opened the JustGiving page for more donations towards our new target of £1250.

WE HAVE DONE IT - Final total raised is £1327

The well is now completed and we have sent a plaque to Cheputue to display on the new well:

Cheputue, is a rural centre in Nandi County, Kenya. The new well will provide accessible water to 1,800 residents who currently walk long distances to fetch clean drinking water. There are 2 primary villages nearby, and the people there are very excited about it - they offered their land and even paid for the survey.

Once the borehole had been dug a group of community leaders chipped in to fit a solar-powered pump and filter supplementing the basic one that was provided. Remarkable how a direct donation like ours can spark further improvements so quickly. They had a party/event to celebrate the opening of the borehole.

We have sent the excess of £59 to Cheputue to be given to the people who gave up their land for the borehole. This is a nice way to wrap up the project in good faith. They are in poverty and even a small amount will go a long way, especially with the current inflation. The people have used the borehole in a really wonderful way. As well as supplying drinking water, it has been connected to a vegetable garden.

Boreholes are sustainable and natural water sources.

Providing drinkable water will reduce carbon emissions as people will not have to boil water before use. The well will be in the rural centre of Cheputue, which will attract more people, and give an economic boost to the village.

Thank you everyone for your support of this project.

Current Total £1327

The Fund Raising Story

16/08/2022 Justgiving page closed for donations - thank you everyone for your amazing support.

23/6/2022 The contract for the digging which was signed in May (see below 26/5/2022) was more than the original estimate so we do need to raise some more donations to cover the increase in the digging contract, and to allow for any more unexpected expenses. In addition we would like to provide a better, more automatic pump if possible, which will be an additional £62.

We have therefore reopened this JustGiving page to ask for more donations.

16/5/2022 our total reached £1100 and donations closed

14/5/2022 the Jazz Concert in St John's Church by Finlay and his friends - "Off The Rails" raised £320 and was much enjoyed by everyone. A great evening.

2/4/2022 Sale of Knitted Easter Chickens at Corsham Eco Fair raised £104

13/3/2022 Project launch at Sunday Service with a presentation by Finlay Dove. Special Collection from the congregation raised £115 towards our initial target of £849, which means we can give the go ahead for the project to start.

The Project Progress So Far

12/8/2022 engraved aluminium plaque sent with Finlay Dove as he travels to Keyna.

20/7/2022 We have ordered a plaque to attach to the well, and have been able to send £40 to Moses, our manager in Kenya as an appreciation of his time and transport costs - he has really dedicated a lot of time, effort, and his own money to this project. Especially as Nandi Hills is a few hours from his home.

19/7/2022 A group of community leaders have chipped in to fit a solar-powered pump and filter. Remarkable how a direct donation like ours can spark further improvements so quickly. They had a party/event to celebrate the opening of the borehole.

28/6/2022 the borehole running with the simple pump and filter

22/6/2022 There appeared to be a political conflict of interest in our original village Kerina which was proving difficult to resolve. So we decided to drill the borehole in a different centre, around 10km from Kerina. We must apologise for this change of plans - but the community leaders in Kerina were strongly against the borehole (they thought it would lead to the current MP being re-elected). So we chose another area in desperate need of water, nearby two primary schools. The people there are very excited about it - they offered their land and even paid for the survey, as we had already paid for the survey in Kerina.

Yesterday evening they finished the drilling and it was fitted with a temporary tap. The borehole is currently running for 48 hours to clean the stream. After this, the borehole will be properly sealed and the proper pump will be fitted.

28/5/2022 The digging was hoped to have started, but was then delayed due to bad weather.

26/5/2022 The contract for the digging has now been signed, but has proved to be a little more expensive that originally hoped - 155,000 Kenyan Shillings.

17/4/2022 Finlay reports that we now have the certificate for the ecological survey from the county surveyor.

9/4/2022 Local Manager Moses has been busy finishing the paperwork. Yesterday he was in the county offices with the landowner from Kerina to sign documents. He mentioned he spent £30 of his own money on taxis for the landowner, a nice gesture as he is elderly and is kindly letting us build on his land. We have reimbursed Moses.

29/3/2022 County surveyor visiting the site.

28/3/2022 Our local agent has applied for planning permission.

13/3/2022 Project launch at Sunday Service with a presentation by Finlay Dove. Special Collection from the congregation raised £115 towards our target of £849, which means we can give the go ahead for the project to start.