The United Church of Canada (UCC), through their representatives currently in Kenya on Wednesday, November 15, undertook a tour of the Nature Plus Project in Athi Ward, Kitui County.
The goal was to visualize the landscape and familiarize themselves with the specific locations of the ward where various project operations would be carried out.
The initiative to be implemented by the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) in collaboration with UCC aims to strengthen Athi’s adaptation and mitigation to climate change, as well as to restore and sustain biodiversity and boost livelihoods.
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It has three outcomes: nature-based solutions, livelihood, and control of locally available natural resources, including forests, rivers, and sand.
The team headed by Phyllis Kamau, NCCK’s Program Director, and Sussie Ibutu, NCCK’s Chief of Party, visited two households where they interacted with two farmers, Felix and Kisangai Mutambu.
The duo explained to the team how they utilize their skills, especially in agriculture, to enhance livelihoods and preserve the environment.
Felix has built a water catchment wall to guide the water to a well-constructed dyke for storage. The dyke can store up to 1 million litres of water.
According to him, the stored water can sustain the entire community for three months when it fails to rain. The water is used for various purposes ranging from agriculture to household use.
On the other hand, the team observed how Kisangai Mutambu effectively uses Athi River water to cultivate cash crops such as mangoes, pawpaw, okra, pepper, and so on.
Some crops are exported while others are sold locally, providing employment opportunities to locals and generating income for both the government and individual families.
The two served as models for what other farmers in the area, which is suffering from severe drought, are expected to do. They are expected to impart the same skills to others through training.
During the tour, the team also visited the proposed sites in Kilawa and Kaivisi, where an earth dam and a sand dam would be built, respectively.
A section of locals could not hide their joy about the initiative expected to impact the community positively.
“Let us know when you plan to start building this dam. Everyone here is prepared, and all we need is for you to begin so that we can become involved. I believe that when it is finished, the water challenge will be a thing of the past,” said one of the locals.
The project’s key targets are women, people with disabilities, youths, and men. Local churches within the structures of NCCK, schools, Kitui County government and stakeholders will also be involved in the two-year project.
“We work together in this reality. We appreciate your continued hard work. I am convinced that this project will be a big deal for the locals because it will change their lives,” said Thivan Hong, Program officer at the Canadian Fullgrains Bank.
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