Taita Taveta Constituency Member of Parliament Naomi Shaban and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Kenya) CEO Mohamed Awer Monday handed over a BMZ climate change adaptation project to the community.
During the ceremony at Lumi solar-powered borehole in Taita-Taveta Sub-County, Shaban thanked WWF-Kenya for implementing the project which was funded by the BMZ German Federal Ministry for Economic Development and Cooperation to a tune of up to Ksh 7 million.
Taita Taveta Constituency MP Naomi Shaban and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Kenya) CEO Mohamed Awer hand over a BMZ climate change adaptation project
“The project is a welcome investment in the community because by bringing the water closer to the people, the initiative has reduced human-wildlife conflict incidences as locals no longer have to compete for water at watering points with wildlife and livestock,” she said.
In addition, Shaban noted that the Taveta NG-CDF had also stepped up efforts and brought the water much closer to the people, establishing seven communal water points.
Taveta NG-CDF offices
Speaking on the development, Hannah Mwaiwo who is the community project treasurer said that they had benefited from the project because women and girls now do not have to trek for over 10 kilometres in search of water.
Mwaiwo who is in charge of the monies collected from the sale of the water noted that the funds they have been collecting are to ensure the sustainability of the project in terms of maintenance.
“We shall put up meters for those who are receiving piped water and also charge a small fee for those who fetch from the water points, this is to make sure we are making money from the initiative which will in turn benefit the community,” she said.
On his part, Awer noted that the project is meant to improve the livelihoods of the local people to adapt to climate change through the adoption of renewable energy and enhance the coexistence of people with wildlife.
“Lumi is important for us because we are 2 kilometres away from the Tsavo National Park and what this means is that it is an area of high conservation value for Kenya and globally,” he said.
The CEO in addition noted that the project was an integrated development conservation project aimed at resolving human-wildlife conflict, enhancing community empowerment and piloting nature-based solutions.
The provision of solar power is a key driver for development.
Solar panels at Lumi borehole in Taita-Taveta Sub-County
For the mitigation of human-wildlife conflict and building climate resilience of communities in conservation landscapes, WWF-Kenya has dug six other water pans for use by wildlife and livestock in Kasigau, Mgeno, Mbulia (Mbololo), Lumo, Bura and Kasigau in the Tsavo sub-landscapes.
Further to facilitate communities’ access to water in Tsavo and Amboseli sub-landscapes, they have also dug boreholes and installed water pans for …….
Source: https://www.kbc.co.ke/communities-in-tsavo-benefit-from-ksh-7m-solar-powered-borehole/