THE ROTARY CLUB OF BANBRIDGE
PROJECT ROMBO, KENYA
Location:
Rombo is a village in Kenya, at the foot of Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, on the Kenyan side of the Tanzanian border, half way between Nairobi and Mombassa, near the Serengeti plains. You might say that Rombo is in the middle of nowhere. However, this area is home to approximately 10,000 Maasai people. Rombo village, with a population of approximately 1,000 people, is a village of red dusty roads, timber shacks for shops and very poor people.
Irish connection:
An Irish lady, Elaine Bannon, left the comforts of her home in Ireland and moved to Rombo to live amongst and work with the children of the Maasai. For five years she has worked tirelessly with what little aid she could raise from her family and friends back home. She has successfully built schools, water wells, water pipelines, purchased a tractor and a jeep, sponsored womens business groups, organised FGM (female genital mutilation) talks and sponsored children in local schools. Elaine has made Kenya her new home and intends to live the rest of her life in Rombo.
Rotary connection:
Elaine approached Rotarians Mary Beth Porter and Matt Porter of the Rotary club of Dublin Central. Matt Porter had worked with Elaine for seventeen years in Ireland and knew her to be trustworthy and hard working. Mary Beth and Matt travelled to Rombo and stayed for a week to examine Elaines plans for health, water and educational projects. Subsequent to that visit Matt applied for a Matching Grant. Matt was awarded the grant in 2006 for four projects. These projects are now complete and have been a tremendous success. This year DG Ray of District D1160 (the island of Ireland) has selected Project Rombo as one of his two main international projects. DG Ray hopes that all 76 Rotary clubs on this island will consider supporting this worthy project.
Partners:
Elaines projects are sustainable and pre-approved by the local chiefs, the local community, AMREF (African Medical Research Foundation International Organisation) and CDF (Constituency Development Fund government funded organisation). Her schools are made of concrete and not wood, her water pipelines are built to the AMREF specification and her school desks are made by a local carpenter. Elaine has a core group of three Maasai men that help her to plan and execute each project. These men are key to understanding local customs and traditions and for translating the needs of the people. Elaine has successfully managed to partner other organisations in Ireland that have funded various projects, such as, the Electricity Supply Board of Ireland (ESB), the Rotary Club of Dublin Central, Rotary Club of Dublin, the Rotary Club of Drachten (Holland), Rotary International Evanston, Maasai Aid Association of Switzerland and Belgrove Boys School, Dublin.
Future plans:
Future plans very much depend on financing. Elaine relies on whatever funds come from her homeland. Elaine is currently working on a master plan with AMREF for the area of Rombo. This plan details how this 500 sq. Km area requires 21 water wells and 21 schools. Some areas have no wells and no schools, while other areas have some classrooms with new classrooms being built this year. AMREF and CDF may be a tailor-made fit for Rotary, since AMREF and CDF will build schools, but they will not pay to fit them out with desks and other essentials. On the other hand, Rotary prefer not pay for building but they will pay to fit out schools.
Elaines plans include a continuation of her successful education, water and health projects in small bite sizes of 10,000. Each project stands on its own and the quantity of projects is subject to the financing she will receive this year.
Elaine fully understands that she will not save all of Africa. However, she is changing the lives of hundreds of people each year and restoring their dignity. She is educating the children and giving them safe drinking water, access to basic medical help and hope for the future.
Project Budget Estimates:
PRPJECT No. 1--- EDUCATION: Fit out of the following schools:
Currently under construction at the village of:
Moilo 2 classrooms almost complete and built by CDF Lemongo 2 classrooms by AMREF currently under construction Lemongo 3 classrooms by Light of Maasai currently under construction Enchuri 2 classrooms almost complete built by CDF Total - 9 classrooms
Due for construction during 2007/2008
Ellerai 2 classrooms by Maasai Aid Association of Switzerland construction begins June 07. Nasipa 2 classrooms to be built by AMREF Noolasiti 2 classrooms proposed by Light of Maasai Matepes 3 classrooms proposed by Light of Maasai Rombo Colin Davies Secondary school 2 classrooms by AMREF Enterarra Holy Family Secondary school 2 classrooms by AMREF Total 9 classrooms primary and 4 classrooms Secondary.
Costs:
Total cost education project: (including small contingency): 20,000 / £13,500
WATER:
The LWC (Local Water Committee) are currently working on a proposal to bring water from the spring at Munura to Rombo town area. The town area comprises many small business and accommodation and currently no piped water is available. Water is taken from a small river which flows close to the town area.
Using calculations based on our previous pipeline project, the estimated cost would be approximately 25,000.
Alongside the pipeline project we propose to include funding for 5 shallow ground wells. Included in the costs is the training of local people to manage and repair any problems which may arise with either the pipeline or wells. This is normal practise and AMREF have provided this training for many years.
Costs:
Total cost water project: (including small contingency): 25,000 / £17,000
HEALTH:
AMREF are in the process of building a medical clinic at Maili Tatu. This clinic when completed will become a government establishment and service people for a 50km radius approximately. However, like the classrooms AMREF will build the clinic, but it will not fit-out the clinic. This is normally the duty of the community in conjunction with a donor. The government will take responsibility for the clinic only after such time as it has been fitted out. There has also been a clinic built at Njukini. This is complete but standing idle due to lack of fittings.
We propose to fit out both clinics with the required equipment, including sinks, toilets, shelving, examination table and bed, curtained partition and medical equipment such as microscope and laboratory equipment.
Rombo Health Centre, which was built by the Diocese of Ngong in the 1960s is currently the only hospital in the area. It has two wards, one male and one female, as well as a section dedicated to maternity. The centre urgently requires equipment such as, an incinerator, a new placenta pit, birthing bed, baby cots, beds, and equipment for the VCT centre. The VCT centre handles testing and counselling for HIV/AIDS. The building was constructed during 2006 but still lies idle due to lack of funds to complete its fit-out. Completion would require doors, windows, sinks, furniture, toilet and flooring.
If there was sufficient funding, there are many additional items that could also be purchased such as an ultra sound machine for the Health Centre in Rombo.
Costs:
Total cost for health projects (including small contingency): 35,000 / £24,000
Summary of Budget estimates:
These projects are sustainable and can be divided up into smaller bite sizes to fit whatever budget is available. Each project stands alone. For example, Rotary may decide to get involved in one, two or all three projects subject to the amount of funding we receive from Rotary clubs this year. Rotary could choose to scale up (or scale down) each project.
The total budget estimate for all these projects is as follows (in euro):
Education . 20,000 / £13,500 Water . . 25,000 / £17,000 Health . 35,000 / £24,000
Total . ..80,000 / £54,500