Children Searching for Water to Survive
Could you imagine having to do what these children in this story do ?
Well my friends to-day I once again would like t0
share with you all another story of children having to struggle for basics that we all take for granted, in this case it is what they are required to do generally on a daily basis just so they have water. While we are standing in the shower next time, perhaps we may want to consider Children Searching for Water to Survive as you stand there for 15 minutes watching all the water go down the drain.
Jared Akama Ondieki sent a message to the members of CENTER FOR PARTNERSHIP AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT TRUST (CEPACET).
Dear Members & Friends
I hope you are fine,
We did mark Water’s day over the last weekend and hence I dedicate this to Tatu Kenga,Please read this:
Girl Beacon Of Hope Where Water Is Scarce.
Despite her tender age coupled with her innocence,Tatu Kenga is an icon in the village. In this area where water is scarce commodity,Tatu is a symbol of hope that someday they will have Plenty of it.
It all started when she met water and irrigation Minister Charity Ngilu in one of her visits to the area.And she has since become the talk of the district.
Ngilu was struck with a pitiable image as Tatu balanced a 20-Litre water Jerry can on her head.The Minister stopped her convoy and alighted from her vehicle,removed her digital camera and took pictures of the little girl who was lagging behind her mother after a six Kilometer trek in search of water.
That was the beginning of a new life for the young Tatu.Ngilu’s ministry has taken up Tatu’s image to campaign against water shortage in the coastal
region.
The water Ministry has adorned a page of the water service Trust Fund 2009 wall calender with Tatu’s Picture ,carrying a Jerry Can.
A caption under the picture reads ” Girl Child Bear The Burden Of Carrying Water”
Her 78 year old Father Mzee John Kenga,who has 20 other children no longer send s her for water after the minister promised to address the issue.
Callenders bearing the Pictures of the shy Tatu are in possession of almost every household in the village. This reminds them all of the Children Searching for Water to Survive .
Like Tatu,most children in Kilifi,Kaloleni,Kwale,Kinango and Taita district spend most of their times drawing water.Most of them are,therefore,not in school despite the free Primary school that was rolled out by the government in 2003.Area Chief Joseph Kitsao said it was a normal routine for children to fetch water as their parents looked for food to feed them.”This is routine here,we have had no alternative.” he said.Ngilu said she was ashamed to see a young girl of Tatu’s age struggle with 20 litre of water on her head.
”I felt ashamed and touched by the young tired child who had walked for more than 5 kilometer in search of dirty water for drinking,yet the problem could be solved because it is under my docket”,said Mrs Ngilu.”No meaningful development in any community can be achieved without clean and reliable water supply,’’she said.
She said the Government had disbursed Sh 50 million to complete Mwijo Water project,targeted to serve more than 22,000 people.She also ordered the expansion of Kwa Filipo Dam where hundred of community families depend on for water,
But since then Tatu now rest easy without walking long distance to fetch water.
According to her mother Mrs Kabibi Kenga,Tatu is a celebrity in the whole village.Visitors and passerby thronged to their home,just to catch a glimpse of Tatu.”We have a lot of visitors coming here daily and we have stopped her going to the wells to fetch water.She says.
Mrs,Kenga blames lack of water as the main reason behind her children not enrolling in schools.
”My children usually spend more than six hours everyday in search of water and even more during the dry season” Mrs Kenga said.All the children had not j
oined school because they could not go on an empty stomach.
She said.
Have a blessed day.
Jared Akama Ondieki.
——————–
I pray our story has enlightened you on the struggles of unfortunate children on our Planet. I look forward to bringing you another post soon and maybe we can all now think of Children Searching for Water to Survive when we next see some one wasting it.
Have a most outstanding day
Allen Sentance
Fisherman
Leave a Reply