Our partners in southeast Kenya visit another dryland community who are overcoming adversity thanks to sand dams and climate-smart agriculture.

Residents of the remote village of Ndaluni in Mwingi, southeast Kenya receive little rainfall all year round. As a result, they face numerous challenges including water and food insecurity.

United by the desire to overcome these challenges, community members came together to form Twone Mbee Wasya wa Mavalani self-help group. With support from the Africa Sand Dam Foundation (ASDF) and Sand Dams Worldwide, the group have constructed a sand dam and shallow well to address the issue of water scarcity.

“The sand dam has brought water close to all of us, which is bringing joy across all quarters of the village."

Muthwii Kasiva, group secretary of Twone Mbee Wasya wa Mavalani self-help group, southeast Kenya.

Muthwii Kasiva, 54, hails from the village and has been serving as the group secretary. Here he shares his experiences after the project implementation:

“The sand dam has brought water close to all of us, which is bringing joy across all quarters of the village. I have been using the water and developed a small kitchen garden within my homestead where I have planted kales and spinach. They have really helped me save money initially spent on buying vegetables as the garden caters for all my family vegetable needs and helps us to eat healthily.”

Moreover, the community have received training on climate-smart agriculture to enable them to increase their farm yields, even during times of drought, using water from the sand dam.

“The various trainings opened our minds wide into the world of agriculture.  We now know the best practices and crops suited to our area to increase production from our land.The knowledge acquired also helped us set up a tree nursery where we have prepared trees to be distributed for planting in our homesteads,” says 63-year-old Samuel Mwaniki.

“This season I have planted both crops and fruit trees... I have only been able to do all this through the training and support provided."

Samuel Mwaniki, member of Twone Mbee Wasya wa Mavalani self-help group, southeast Kenya.

“This season I have planted both crops and fruit trees. I have planted pigeon peas, cow peas and green grams which are doing well, and I look forward to a good harvest. I have also planted 10 papaya and 15 mango trees which are faring well; I have only been able to do all this through the training and support provided,” adds Samuel.

Community members appreciate the importance of water in  their lives. They remain committed to working on other water projects to bring water close to everyone in their area.

Please donate what you can today and protect children’s health and education with school water tanks and access to clean water