It is two weeks before my birthday. I will be 28. During such years I have had many adventures, acquired interesting trinkets, met and befriended so many amazing people, and discovered I love water. Whether the source of water be a river, lake, or ocean, I adore the sound, the motion of the waves, and a refreshing swim! I have had many a lovely run next to the Willamette River here in Portland. Even more so, however, is the necessity for water consumption for healthy bodies. We are so blessed to have easy access to a sustained water source. The faucet is merely steps away from where we may be. The villagers of Shikokho have no idea what that looks like. They spend hours each day gathering water for all daily tasks. Sometimes the water is contaminated, sometimes not, but there is no way to know. Please help me celebrate life by giving any amount to this cause of digging a well for improved access to a sustained clean water source. To date, almost 1/4 of the $5000.00 goal has been met. It won't take much, if everyone gave just a little bit, to reach the goal. That specific amount will go to the digging a few kilometers into the earth to tap into the water source. You have the power to make my dream come true. Please give. 

On this day, the celebration of St. Valentine and all those we love, two years ago I was merely contemplating interning with Foundation for Sustainable Development in Kenya. I was still deeply engrossed in my MCAT studies, preparing for the June exam. An average Kenyan day was unknown to me; I could not fathom its challenges or its rewards. Seven months later I found myself in Kakamega after a long bus ride from Nairobi - settling into the bush. Today, a year and a half post internship, I carry with me Kenyans' desires to sustainably develop their country as I fell in love with my host family, the nursing staff at the clinic, and my host village. Once touted as the most stable African country, its stability was called into question during and after the 2007 election. With the establishment of shared power, hope of further improvement has returned and villagers living in Shikokho, in western Kenya, have begun raising funds and putting in motion plans for a centrally located well to provide public access to clean water. Not only does my passion regarding this venture stem from issues of access and sustainability, but also from issues relating to health. "Amongst the poor and especially in developing countries, diarrhea is a major killer. In 1998, diarrhea was estimated to have killed 2.2 million people, most of whom were under 5 years of age (WHO, 2000). Each year there are approximately 4 billion cases of diarrhea world wide" (http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/ disease/diarrhoea/en/). This publication goes on to note that to reduce water-related disease and subsequent death is to provide 1. access to safe drinking water, 2. improve sanitation, 3. good personal and food hygiene, and 4. health education about how infections are spread. I am struck by how simple the solution is to the problem. It does not require a program or voter approval. It simply demands action on the part of people. My sincerest thanks to those who have donated to this project! Quite simply, it is an act of love. May you continue to love well. The funding is almost at 1/4 of the $5000.00 goal. If you have not yet given, please consider doing so, the end date for this goal is April 26, 2009. 

I had planned on visiting family friends this past weekend - January 10-11 - however was unable to go north as I-5 was closed secondary to flooding. Too much water on the roadway. I had faced a similar disappointment when living in Kenya. One Sunday afternoon I had planned to go to the market with my host sister Edith. We set out from the family compound just after noon with dark clouds on the horizon. Such clouds had loomed before, though had passed quickly and without dropping so much as a smattering of rain. After reaching the roadside shelter to wait for the matatu - public transport up to the market - the sky opened up and a down pour ensued. It continued for not only the hour that we waited, but all afternoon into the evening. After the initial hour we returned to the compound to finish out the Sunday at home. The rain continued. Streets flooded; mud flowed. And yet, in the midst of abundant rain, there is a significant lack of clean water -  water that is not contaminated with air-borne or water-borne diseases affecting the health of the Kenyan nationals. My water was boiled for me so as to avoid these contaminants, however, my host siblings and parents did not treat their water prior to drinking it. One of the goals of the MDG Africa Steering group (#7 to be specific) is to reduce infectious disease by improving access to clean water sources. Your participation in this cause -by helping a tiny village in rural Kenya - helps a global initiative. Be bold. Be capable. Join humanity. Give. Change your world. 

the face of water

October 9, 2007 

Shibwe Kenya

O'Khanga family compound

I made strides with the host family this weekend by attempting the ever-challenging experience of carrying things on top of my head. Sunday dawned glorious and later in the morning the family started the weekend chores of house cleaning, laundry, and cooking. I joined in, helping with the laundry. The boys soon loaded up the wheelbarrow with water tanks. I tagged along as we headed for their water source. After crossing the farm and heading down the hillside, we came to the clans source for "clean" water: it is cleaner than the open river I cross every day going to the clinic, but I still can't drink it. The underground source comes from the hillside and the clan built a cement retrieval area with a lead pipe for easy water collection. The boys filled four large tanks as well as the smaller one I had carried. My host sister soon joined us with her own tank. I started up the hillside ahead of her, the full water tank in my arms and at the top she gracefully and skillfully lifted her tank onto her head. I gritted my teeth and followed suit. Using all of my available arm muscles, holding my breath, I hoisted the tank onto my head trying desperately not to spill any of the precious water needed for cooking, cleaning, drinking, and bathing. Some water did inevitably spill; running down the left side of my face, soaking my shirt and skirt. Once balanced, however, I held one edge with one hand and trudged gingerly across the farm from whence we had come. Entering the yard, my younger host sister caught the attention of my host mom who simply laughed at my struggle to carry the smallest tank on my oh-so white head with my curly hair streaming down. I think that will go on my resume - "water-carrying abilities"!

Many Kenyans walk longer distances for water or choose to walk less and retrieve water from stagnant pools that build up along the roadside following the heavy rains - the same pools into which cattle, dogs, and people urinate and defecate - contributing to public health issues facing Kenya and stifling development. 

While interning at a health clinic and living in rural Kenya, I had the honor and privilege of working with Peter Khamusali, a Kenyan native from the village of Shikokho. He was educated in Nairobi and returned to his village to help sustainably develop it. I lived in Shibwe, the village next door. 

Shikokho would benefit greatly from a well and Peter has launched a bold campaign to have one dug with necessary piping placed for access. Please join me in raising $5000.00 towards funding the placement of the well in the village to provide a sustainable, accessible, clean water source for the people of Shikokho. The entire cost of completing the well is $23,000.00 USD. To date the villagers have raised $10,000.00 USD and the survey of the area has been completed. Currently 12 villagers are being trained in the functioning of the well. The next phase will be to dig the borehole. The water will then be pumped above ground and available for distribution. 

You may go to the website for Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD - the organization through which I interned) to make a tax-deductible donation through PayPal. The Paypal link is also on this site. Additionally you may write a check payable to "Foundation for Sustainable Development" with my name: "Abigail Papé" and host country "Kenya" in the memo line and mail it to:

Water for Shikokho

c/0 Abigail Papé

1410 SW Broadway #210

Portland OR 97201

Sending it to the above address ensures that your funds will get to this specific project. FSD oversees many projects at one time and they request checks be collected by the in-country point person (that's me!) then sent to FSD for distribution to Peter in Shikokho Kenya.