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The school and indeed the local villagers rely
on rainwater and when that runs out they collect
water from the river which is about one mile away.
I asked about the possibility of drilling for
water and using a wind or hand pump. I was advised
that it could be done as the water table is not
too deep but the cost is prohibitive. As we discussed
this the words 'Water is Life' flashed through
my mind.
As we had taken drawings and notes from local
school children, the school children gave me many
drawings to bring back. (Please ask me if you
would like to see them). Written on one of the
drawings was read Psalm 114. The last line reads
' '……changes rocks into pools of water
and solid cliffs in to flowing springs'. That
evening at the camp I overheard a man at the next
table to us say the words 'Water is Life'. It
seemed to shout at me. I have arranged for a quotation
of the cost to provide fresh water to be obtained
and will write further in due course.
We returned to the school the following day and
saw the pens, pencils, rulers and exercise books
being handed out. In the classrooms all the pupils
had brand new textbooks. The excitement of the
teachers and pupils was tremendous. The schools
needs are great.
All travel costs have been met by me personally.
Money is still coming in but if we are to provide
water as well further funds will be needed.
Our second day was concluded a display of local
dancing by about 30 children followed by football,
volleyball and skipping. We brought 10 footballs
with us. Previously the team was 150 per side
as they only had one ball! Again the excitement
was immense and words cannot adequately explain
the joy we saw.
There is not space to write everything that we
did. Do please feel free to ask me if you would
like to know more. I hope to return to the school
in February/March 2004.
August 2004
It was over a year ago that
I first wrote about the Mara Rianda School in
the Maasai Mara, 100 miles west of Nairobi. When
I first met the head teacher early last year I
asked what the school needed. He looked at me,
pondered and then said “If you mean by a
miracle we need chalk, white and coloured, pens
and pencils again coloured, exercise books …..”
and so he went on. His simple request shocked
me: “Chalk would be a miracle”. Those
words have become the by-line for my fundraising
letters.
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I then
wrote to various friends telling them about
the school and its needs which were great.
Nearly £10,000 was raised which last
September was used to provide school supplies,
text books exercise books, pens, pencils,
writing paper, footballs, skipping ropes
etc and of course chalk. In addition there
was a specific donation to sponsor a teacher
for two years.
A fence, which was needed to prevent wildlife
from coming too close, has now been completed. |
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needs are still great and clean water is a
primary aim. Currently the children drink
rain water and when that runs out they walk
nearly a mile to the Mara River. The river
is dirty and brown with crocodiles and hippos
living in it.
We take it for granted that we can turn
on a tap for fresh clean water and drink,
cook, wash, water the lawn and clean the
car. Water is life, without it we would
die.
In February this year I returned again
to the school taking some further supplies
and met with a water engineer, who flew
out from Nairobi especially to see me. The
cost of providing fresh water to the school
is high. From a western person’s perspective
the school is in the middle of nowhere.
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The terrain
is rocky and there are no roads to the school
and nearby roads are just dirt tracks. In
the wet season it is often very difficult
to travel along even in 4-wheel drive vehicles
and in the dry season it is very pot holed
and again difficult to travel along. The
engineer, who was advising free of charge
and not selling, estimated that it would
cost at least £10,000 just to transport
drilling machinery etc to the area.
The water table is apparently not too deep
it is just the cost of accessing it which
is high. I have asked for initial digging
to be undertaken.
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Since receiving
the supplies we have provided the number
of children at the school has increased
substantially and there are now nearly 400.
Whilst more general school supplies are
needed to replace those being used, the
head teacher Mr Lawrence Ngubo Bosire has
asked for more desks as many children are
still sitting four to a desk. Surprisingly
the children are desperate for school uniform.
This, perhaps, seems such a trivial thing
but they so very much want to be seen to
be part of the school.
Following the success in fund raising The
Mara Rianda Charitable Trust (a company
limited by way of guarantee and a UK charitable
trust) was formed in 2004.
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In October 2005 the Trust, through the most generous
support of its numerous supporters, funded the
successful drilling of a borehole at the school.
Look at the expressions on the children’s
faces; they have never previously seen water incessantly
come from a tap, they have only been used to using
rainwater or water from the Mara River and local
ponds.
I continue to personally meet all of my travel
and accommodation costs, However if you would
like to make a donation for the school please
contact me for further information. Every contribution,
no matter how small, will be gratefully received.
I will keep you advised of what is raised and
purchased with the funds.
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Drilling the borehole
for water at the school |
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Mara
Rianda School Photo Gallery
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