Over 300 households, around 400 students from a nearby public school, and more than 2,000 livestock have recently benefited from the water project in Kamelil village, Elgeyo Marakwet County. Elgeyo Marakwet is one of the regions that can be considered the food basket of Kenya. However, due to climate uncertainties that have plagued the region for the past decade, many farmers have suffered significant losses due to prolonged droughts.
According to residents here, numerous people have attempted to plant various crops throughout the year, but many of them have been destroyed, especially during extended droughts from December to March. In Kamelil, many subsistence farmers have watched their crops wither away.
But with the borehole drilled by CRF, the villagers now have a reason to celebrate, as even during periods of no rainfall, they will still have water for their crops. Furthermore, with sufficient water, the community will no longer have to rely solely on maize cultivation, which is the norm in the area. They can now venture into planting vegetables that will supplement their diets throughout the year, regardless of the rainy season.
For many women present during the borehole dedication, the surplus crops they will harvest will be used to support the construction of a house of worship. According to Pastor Moses from Kamelil Christian Church Family, they see this borehole as a miracle from God, and it is their responsibility to share the wonderful deeds of Jesus with others. He states, “As you can see, we have started engaging in serious farming, and soon we will have enough food to eat. We will also assist our neighbors who do not have enough food, and we will spread the gospel of love as instructed by Jesus. Please convey to CRF that even though we may not have met or seen them, they have changed our lives. ‘Asante sana’ (Thank you so much).”
