Karibu! Welcome!

Since 2004, EWB@ MSU's professional and student volunteers have worked with community members in Khwisero, Kenya to provide water and sanitation infrastructure at the district's 58 primary schools, making it easier for Khwisero's children to avoid waterborne disease and get an education.

In that time, the group has grown from a small club to one of MSU's premier student organizations, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund seven borehole wells, six composting latrines and a biogas latrine that serve thousands of community members.

Thank you for joining us as we continue to work hand-in-hand with local partners to make a difference in one small part of our world. As Western Kenya's limited internet access allows, we will update this blog while in-country with the successes, stories and lessons provided by our work.

Friday, August 14, 2009

Team 2 Update


Girls from Emwaniro Primary School carrying water from the Emwaniro borehole to team 2's house.


Team 1 and 2. Left to right: Sarah, Kiera, Erich, Megan, John, Matt


Francis Ashira, Jacky, Hannah, Megan and John at the surveyor training for West.


Laura Moon


Stanley, Erin and Matt at the KWDP headquarters in Khwisero. Stanley has been running KWDP since it started. KWDP was founded by Mr. and Mrs. Iyundo, a local couple who have been living together in Khwisero since 1963. KWDP focuses on protecting springs by installing a concrete retaining wall and metal piping. Their goal is to elevate the springs and protect their water from soil erosion. Although protected springs sometimes have better water quality than unprotected springs, many of them still contain coliform bacteria.


Laura, Matt, Kiera, Cameron, Sarah and Molly cramming into a matatu, or public van, the local form of transportation.


Biogas latrine construction at Shirali P.S.


Khwisero in the early morning.


JJ and Sam, an excellent fundi from the Umande Trust in Kibera slum, standing in the bottom of the hole that was excavated for the biogas latrine. Photo by Cameron.


Team 2, 3, and East at Wallace Airo's compound near Emwaniero Primary School. Top, left to right: Kalen, Damon, Amy, Dalen, JJ, Jackson, Tom, Chris, Megan. Bottom row, left to right: Molly, Cameron, Hannah, Laura, John. Not pictured: Matt and Erin.


Jackson and Matt at a farmers' meeting. Matt is researching agrobusiness in Khwisero. One of his goals is to work with people in Khwisero to determine how EWB and locals can empower farmers and their families to live better lives via improved farming practices and increased economic development.


A school girl from Ebukuala Primary School undergoing a distance vision test at the Ebukuala Eye Clinic. EWB-MSU collaborated with EWB-Khwisero, the Khwisero Health Centre, and local volunteers to pilot an Eye Clinic at Ebukuala P.S. The Bozeman Lion's Club donated over 200 eyeglasses to the clinic, and the employees at Advanced Eyecare of Bozeman spent hours reading the lens prescriptions and fixing up the frames. For more information about this program please contact Molly Bruggeman at mbruggeman@gmail.com.


Jacky and Dr. Erich, shielding themselves from the dirt on the piki piki (motorbike) tour of Khwisero's governmental health facilities.


Ebuyonga Dance Performance


"Cows" by Cameron Chen

Hi everyone!
Team 2 is back in Bozeman, where the internet connection is fast enough that I can upload these. Enjoy!
Molly
Posted by Engineers Without Borders at 7:40 AM

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