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This past November, we traveled to Kenya to learn more about two specific problems that need engineered solutions.

Mathare Valley, Nairobi

The Mathare Valley is one of the worlds most notorious slums. Situated 3 miles from Nairobi’s center, and occupying .25 square miles, it is inhabited by 800,000 of the poorest people in the world. There is no infrastructure. There is no sanitation. Many of the inhabitants sold their ancestral farm land in remote locations of Kenya and moved to the city looking for jobs that do not exist. They are relegated to a life of poverty in the Mathare Slum.

The slum district is bisected by the Mathare River. Its ink black water is home to disease, trash and industrial waste. The people of Mathare, due to their lack of infrastructure, typically have to steal water from municipal water supply pipes that they dig up and break open. The supply is inconsistent and contaminated due to the open sewers surrounding the access points. The water of the river is not suitable for use due to biological and chemical contaminants.

We hope to make the bitter water of the Mathare Valley sweet.

Turkana

The Turkana people of northwestern Kenya number approximately 340,000. The live in a district bordering lake Turkana to the east. The climate is dry and hot, and water is scarce.

Scarcity of water is the primary concern in Turkana. We have partnered with a group drilling wells and installing community farms with irrigation systems. Once a farm is in place and irrigation is available, the Turkana are given training in proper farming practices. The well drilling process is slow and inefficient. The infrastructure is not as robust as it could be. Our goal is to provide engineering support to decrease well drilling time and to increase the reliability of the irrigation systems.

Lake Turkana is the world’s largest Alkaline lake. The water, in it’s natural state, is drinkable, but possesses high mineral content which adversely impacts the health of those who drink from it. Due to the region’s geology, the groundwater in certain areas has extremely high fluorine content. Ingestion of high amounts of fluorine causes the development of fluorosis, a painful, debilitating and eventually fatal disease. Development of sustainable technology to remove fluorine from groundwater will increase the quality of life for the Turkana and will save lives.

Other Issues

We at Marah Water are also investigating other specific situations throughout the world which need attention. Potential projects are being identified in Southeast Asia and throughout Africa. We plan to hone our solutions and introduce them to as many affected areas as possible.

For More Information

If you are interested in learning more about our work, or if you are interested in donating your time, expertise or money, please contact us at info@marahwater.com.