Oh, but look where you stand!

The solution we seek, is right under our feet. 1000 people could live without love,but none without water, and with the current surface water scarcity, groundwater is the best alternative.

With the current population increase and evident effects of climate change, surface water across the world has deminished immensely,not to mention other factors like outright harms and risks to it like chemical pollution. There has to be a way we can quench the thrist of this growing population and do so in a sustsinable way looking into future generations. During a research I conducted with the National Geographic and The Nature Conservancy on freshwater conservation issues,I found a solution to this potential time bomb- groundwater. Groundwater is clean, fresh, retrivable, replensihable and therefore sustainable making it our best fit option. As I further found out, in Africa, the largest groundwater reservoir (an aquifer), sighting over 100 billion litres of freshwater  stretching over 4 countries as discovered by Dr Alain Gachet, a French geophysicist,actually lies in my country; Kenya. The irony of it's location is still one that buffles me. It is found in Turkana county, where thousands of livestock and people have been dying for the past 5 decades due to drought and famine. This year's drought being the worst seen in 40 years and stretching towards the Horn of Africa as well. How can people die helplessly for years unend yet they are quite literally walking over 100 billion litres of freshwater?! I knew i had to do something. 

In matters numbers, as per the 2019 population census, Turkana county(where part of the aquifer is)had a population of 926,976 people. This population has however declined owing to the famine related deaths and migration to other countries to search for resources for themselves and their livestock seeing that most of the communities there are pastoralists.

As per the recent news reports, and the UN women health agency report  December 2022,over 134,000 pregnant women are facing acute malnutrition, and over 600,000 children facing the same due to limited or no food access, how heartrenching. During this research,I came to deeply understand how water indeed is life, and more so if it is right under your feet. Dr Alain through his company the Radar Technology Intrtnational, proved this theory and venture possible by drilling a well in Napu region of the county, and today supports a little flourished town of thousands. He did this to show its possibility and set precedence for the government and other international organizations to pick up, but sadly ten years later, it is still not being spoken about depsite its urgency even in saving lives. I am however with your help and that of others, going to change this through my project Re-dignify as will be expounded on below through my storymap and narrative, and not stop at it. Groundwater harvesting is being done in various countries in the world and sustaining populations, the biggest example being in Saudi Arabia, a country also in the desert, but flourishing. So why not in my Kenya, my Turkana, who need it for life or death? Drought,famine, death, malnutrition and other related atrocities is what I am trying to solve.

My solution also as touched on involves drilling a well in Loima constituency of Turkana county. Loima constituency is the largest in population, the project's being  Re-dignify. I would want to restore dignity to the community there. Turkana county is also known to the world as the cradle of man kind, with remains of the first hominid of the human species- homohabilis being discovered there. They're a people and a region of pride and dignity, and the atrocities the famine is bringing onto them ought to be eradicated, yet so easily considering we already have the solution. Only action is needed.

 It's not only giving them water, but also teaching them the tools of trade, thus empowering them. Seeing that I come from an ecosystem restoration background, I deem water as the requisite that binds food security,biodiversity, economic empowerment, education, health and so on in one bracket. This water will mean survival of their livestock- which is their main source of livelihood. Meaning they will be able to trade them and obtain resources to run their households. The water means agriculture, thus ridding malnutrition in women and children, as well as economic gain in it's trade. It will mean an economic boost, and parents will now be able to afford school fees. I could go on and on with this, but one thing for sure this water does mean life to them. This is also not hypothetical for it has been done in Napu region, so why not contine to Loima region? Drilling this well too, I'd want to be seen as a precedence that can be benchmarked upon by our neighbours in Sudan and Ethiopia also currently facing the same drought. More word on the aquifer needs to be put out there, and hopefully by this project it will.

The target population is of residents of Turkana county, specifically in Loima constituency. The population as of now, consists mostly of women and children, seeing that the men are nomadic and have opted to look for pasture for their livestock elsewhere.

By virtue of the drought, they are underserved on various spheres including health, food and nutrition, education, monetarily (seeing most of their cattle have died), and the other basic necessites of life like clothing, shelter and massive insecurity that comes with fighting for little available resources.

The solution of giving them access to clean, freshwater, will alleviate most and gradually all the problems listed above. The water will enable them to regain their source of livelihood- pastoralism, and it's ripple effect of economic empowerment being felt in education, nutrition, security and such spheres. Their lifespans will also be expanded owing to good helath among the women and children. This water will enable them to get the necessites of basic human life in it's decency. They too are human, and deserve an equal shot in life, and I hope this projects and many other subsequent ones attain this.

My team as is also being formed to its totality, consists of individuals from different backgrounds. I have consultants from the water and engineering department, who have come in to tell the different ways to drill a well, in regards to terrain, water speed and all the other engineering technicalities.

I have also with me people from the climate field who will come in on the agriculture phase of teaching the people farming methods in the desertic conditions, as well as tree planters as myself, in a bid to build an active ecosytem there.

I am also looking and am in communication with a few individuals on the ground in Turkana, to ensure we really know what is happening and just gain an insider's view. I am also planning to make a first trip there to access the area, and not just plainly be depending on coordinates and settlite images for decsion making.

I did volunteer in the North about 5 years ago, and this I account as where my love for that region began. Exchanging experiences and culture with them, is probably why I feel the ease on returning there and helping change their lives. A few of the team members have also mentioned to me that they have been to the north, and this gives them a comfortability of the whole project.

I am also not neglecting the advice and direction of those who have gone ahead of me in such a project, and have had converstions with different organization heads on the same. I am planing to also involve the Ministry of Arid and Semi Arid Lands on the same. And not forgetting my patreon Radar Technology International.

As mentioned, I did come to the knowledge of the solution of this long standing problem as a result of a resesearch I conducted with the National Geographic as well as The Nature Consevancy on freshwater conservation issues. The research was indepth and I found the potential population impact through it. This however will be ascertained fully once I make my first trip there, considering its harsh desertic confitions.

I have been working with the Radar Technology International on this, and their support and insight in groundwater systems not only in Kenya but across the world, i deem quite a huge piece of backbone in my research. Seeing the success of groundwater harvesting and usage across the world is what also encouraged me to do the same back home. I believe to change the world, you start from home.

Seeing that the solution is still in the prototype phase, I have engaged a few users, but on giving their thoughts  especially those on the ground in Turkana. With time, I am planning to seek out a better way to test this, especially after gathering more support in matters funding.

Currently not only in my country but also majorly across the world, groundwater is hardly seen or used as a pivotal resource, despite it's capability. In the wake of climate change, we now have to look into alternative sources to survive as a populis. China is doing so with its rice fields,Saudi Arabia is doing so, Egypt is also capitalising on groundwater for agriculture. This is a sustainable approach, as also discussed during the World Economic Forum of last year (2022).The sooner this discussion gets on a global scale the better chance we have at easening the looming crisis of water scarcity and its ripple effects. Kenya too wil be on the map, when it comes to such discussions. To strengthen a population that is hardly spoken about. This projecr, although not entirely novel, will be the first of it's kind in Loima constituency, to reawaken the previous clamour around the same, that started ten years ago. Groundwater is freshwater, sustainable and in most cases replenisable, and this is the much we need now.

Using the smart principle, my impact goals are;

S- To drill a well in Loima constituency, and therefore provide safe clean drinking and usage water.

M- To drill one well, that eillwill open up gateway for more players and instituitions to join in, thus improving the drought related effects around the county.

A- In matters impact, I deem all the previouly explained expectations achievable, in relation to education,agriculture, health, economy and so on. However not instatenous, they are achievable in time.

R- Breaking ground and obtaining the water is realistic. For the impact, atleast having a constant source and supply of running water is the realistic impact.

T- For time, this project's impacts are instatenous and ones that also reach into the future. Water can be drilled in a record one week, and it be utilized for years to come. So here, it's impacts are short term and long term.

The technology initially used to identify this aquifer is one complex algorithm, coupled with satellite imaging and mapping used to identify ground resources like oil, gas, and in this case water. This technology being patented only by Radar Technology International.

My solution seeks to serve over 1000 people in the year. This figure being subject to change, considering the actual situation on the ground, in relation to migration and actual deaths.

Financial barriers are mainly my main hinderance. I havr gathered most of the data,expertise and information that I may need to kick start this process,  it is the financial contrain that I am currently trying to work on. Hopefully by input from different organizations, the government, well wishers and through solved, I will hopefully be able to offer a chance to the people there.

Radar Technology International, the ones that made discovery on the aquifer.They help with the mapping of the ground water, satellite images and general consultancy on the ground area in Turkana county considering it's desertic qualities.

The National Geographic and The Nature Conservancy where the research was initiated,and more of a consultancy and guidance works.