The Need for Water Availability
Mara River Basin
Interviewee
Shadrack Cheruiyot
Interviewer
Alison M. Jones
NWNL Director and Photographer
Hog House, Langata, Kenya, on January 26, 2018
Introductory Note
Shadrack, like Jane Nyambura, shared his time for this interview while working for a British-Kenyan family living outside of Nairobi, bustling with frequent international visitors. They both have integrated their employment “world” into their backgrounds of simpler lives with the challenges of finding food and water for themselves and their family.
While their upbringings strongly contrast to their employers’ lives, close ties and strong support exist. Their graciously sharing their views with NWNL helps spread awareness of the value of water and the impacts of inaccessible clean fresh water – in too many peoples’ lives. Their tales include the daily chores and challenges of fetching water for drinking, cleaning, laundry and bathing.
Their willingness to share their issues on water availability and quality helps spread their families’ realities – and thus is a valuable tool to help improve water delivery to all homes.
Outline
SHADRACK’S HOME & FAMILY
WATER & FOOD for SHADRACK’S FAMILY
SHADRACK’S VIEWS on NEEDED CHANGES
SHADRACK on NEEDED CHANGES
THE FUTURE for SHADRACK, WATER & SOLAR
WATER AVAILABILITY SOLUTIONS
Key Quotes Yes, we worry about having enough water at home at some points, especially in the January season when, there is no rain. We mostly depend on spring water and rainwater, which we harvest for future dry times. — Shadrack Cheruiyot
I can only give the government 40% success on guarding and saving our forest sources of our rivers. There is much left to do. Now 60% of the trees is what the government must still save. It must guard the remaining 60% of Kenya’s forests. — Shadrack Cheruiyot
All images © Alison M. Jones, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.
SHADRACK’S HOME & FAMILY
NWNL Shadrack, tell us a bit about yourself.
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT I’m 25 and was born in Bomet. That is around 200 kilometers from Nairobi and still my home. It’s Kapsangaru, a rural village in Bomet.
ALISON JONES What rivers pass near your town?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT There’s a river called Sesei, a seasonal river.
ALISON JONES So your home is near the tributaries that go into the bigger Mara River?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT Yes, by around 20 kilometers. The Sesei goes into Lake Victoria.
ALISON JONES What is the climate in the village where you grew up?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT In terms of weather, it’s mostly sunny and warm. Generally, it’s very hot with no rain in January, February, March. Then up through April, there is a little rain. But in July and August, there’s a lot of rain; and, again in December, there’s a lot of rain. But at the end of December, no rain.
NWNL Tell me about your family.
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT We are seven children, besides me.
NWNL Seven? I only have one! Tell me about your parents.
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT My father was a chef for Ker & Downey Safaris. My mum is a housewife with seven children to take care of. They do a little bit of farming just to sustain our family.
NWNL Where did your family’s water come from when you were a little boy?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT It was from a spring about 15 kms, and still is we get water.
NWNL Who would go to get the water?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT Of course, my mother and my 4 sisters. I never went.
NWNL Did your sisters go to school?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT Yes. One is in college, one is in Form 3, one is Form 2, and my little sister, about 10 years old, is in Class 4.
WATER & FOOD for SHADRACK’S FAMILY
NWNL Was there enough water for your family when you were growing up? Did you worry about having enough water?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT Yes, we worry about having enough water at home at some points, especially in the January season when, there is no rain. We mostly depend on spring water and rainwater, which we harvest for future dry times.
NWNL So, even as a little boy, you would harvest rain! How would you do that? What would you use to harvest the rain?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT The rooftop leads to some very little tanks, about, 200-300 liters.
NWNL You’ve said your family had a small garden. Did you have to water the garden?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT Yes, mostly I did, but my mother and sisters also got water for the garden.
NWNL What did you grow in your garden?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT Vegetables, like “sukuma wiki,” which is kale. There are some oranges in the garden and some spinach.
NWNL Oranges? Wow.
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT My father liked oranges.
NWNL Did you have a cow or any chickens at your home?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT Yeah, we have had cows and chickens since I was little.
NWNL Did you had enough food your family so that you didn’t have to buy food?.
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT Yes.
SHADRACK's VIEWS on NEEDED CHANGES
NWNL What is your life now as an adult, Shadrack?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT I went to college, studying Internet Technology, or “IT”; but now I’m learning to be a professional chef. I stay here at Hog House when not home and am not yet married.
NWNL Do you think the climate now is the same when you were a little boy?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT Yes. It’s the same now. I know now drought is much worse and we’re not getting rain like we used to; and it’s more windy.
NWNL Are you worried about the drought or running out of water at your home? And if you do, has your family ever ran out of water?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT Yes, I am worried. There was a point where we didn’t have water, but there is a certain swamp near our place where it doesn’t dry out, so we go get it there. It’s just a few meters from home.
NWNL Is it clean water?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT No – it’s not clean, not safe to drink.
NWNL If it’s not safe, what do you drink?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT We just get it from maybe other places now, maybe buying it at supermarkets. But you can imagine needing water for seven in the family.
NWNL Do people in your community have boreholes, or wells?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT No boreholes.
NWNL Why is that? Is that because there’s no water underneath?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT No. There was a time when our people were drilling their holes. They found that there was a borehole at the primary school, but I don’t know why it has never been drilled. In the next village beyond ours, there’s a borehole at the secondary school. That is the only borehole I know.
The FUTURE for SHADRACK, WATER & SOLAR
NWNL What would you like to be doing in 10 or 20 years? What’s your dream?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT I want to be farming. I like farming.
NWNL You surprised me. I thought you were going to say IT. What would you like to farm?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT I like dairy farming. It’s hard work, but I know I will one day. And to do dairy farming, I’ll have to maybe plant grass for feed.
NWNL Ah, grass for the cows.
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT Yes. That is what I plan to do, before I buy my cows.
NWNL Do you worry about how you’re find or access water for those cows?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT Yes. It’s a problem, but I’m not planning to do farming at home. I want to do it in Nakuru County, because there is water there, and there’s a market where I can sell stuff.
NWNL So you will move. Nakuru County is far from Bomet. How long does it take you to get from Bomet to Nakuru?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT Four or five hours driving.
NWNL How will you get the water in Nakuru?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT People there drill boreholes easily, and the place already has many boreholes. Mostly, everybody has one in his own home, so you just pay for drilling.
NWNL How much is that?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT I think it’s a little bit more than 50,000 Kenya shillings [approximately $500 US in 2019].
NWNL When you were a child, did you or anyone in your village have electricity in your home?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT No. Electricity came to my village just 2 years ago, so most of the people just used solar.
NWNL Do you have to pay for solar energy?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT No. We just buy our solar equipment.
NWNL What did you family pay for their solar equipment?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT Again, between 40,000 to 50,000 Kenya shillings (about $500 US in 2018), because of the cost of buying solar equipment, its wiring and other stuff.
WATER AVAILABILITY SOLUTIONS
NWNL My biggest question is what do you think should Kenya do to make sure there’s enough water for its growing population?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT I think we need to encourage people to plant trees. That is critical in my opinion. And the government should make sure that our water catchment areas are well guarded, especially in the Mau Forest.
NWNL Have you planted trees at your home, and if so what kind of trees?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT Yes, I have planted eucalyptus – not the traditional kind; but the kind that is a soft and grows quickly.
NWNL Is that what everybody’s planting? Are other people in your village planting eucalyptus?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT No, no, no. Many people don’t like it, because it takes a lot of water, so they plant cypress trees. That’s the most planted tree in our village.
NWNL Why?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT Because it’s easily available. And people can use their stems to build houses.
NWNL For timber?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT Yes.
NWNL When you plant your eucalyptus, do you cut them to use for fuel or timber yourself?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT Not really. Mostly I use dry stuff, dry trees for fuel.
NWNL So, when you plant your trees, they’re to stay there.
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT Yes.
NWNL Besides planting trees, you said government should guard its water sources – or as you say “catchments” like the Mau Forest. Do you think they’re doing a good job of guarding the Mau?
SHADRACK CHERUIYOT No. I can only give the government 40% success on guarding and saving our forest sources of our rivers. There is much left to do. Now 60% of the trees is what the government must still save. It must guard the remaining 60% of Kenya’s forests.
NWNL Thank you, Shadrack for sharing your time and your opinions. Good luck!
Posted by NWNL on August 29, 2024.
Transcription edited and condensed for clarity by Alison M. Jones.
All images © Alison M. Jones, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.