 |
| Scotland – May 2012 – Jan Bowman Photo |
Most people take the idea of having fresh water always available as a “given” in their lives. We turn on the tap and have an abundance of safe water. But my dear old friend, Dr. Mary Bowman-Kruhm has been working on a project to bring fresh water to a village in Kenya that she visited a few years ago. As a result, I have thought about how we take our clean water supply for granted. So I wrote a short creative nonfiction piece about it last year.
The Truth About Water
by Jan Bowman – October 2012
Drink up. Water is wealth. Water heals. Mends the cells and flushes toxins.
 |
| Scotland – May 2012 – Jan Bowman photo |
Drink water from plastic bottles bound for recycling or landfills. Reclaimed water flows into sinks, bathtubs and showers. We stand over cleansing basins of recycled water, flushed with complex chemicals. We drink deeply. Wash vital organs clear of toxins with water taken from bottles and tidy faucets. Faucets quench thirst, but bottles travel better.
My friend, Dr. Mary Bowman-Kruhm, has been working with this project to dig wells which will provide fresh water in Oltorotua, Kenya. I interviewed her on my blog site (Entry # 68) last year about her writing career and her work with the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick, Maryland – in conjunction with the Rotary Clubs in Maryland and Kenya. Here are some links for more information and I have cut and pasted this recent posting from the website about the work they are doing. Go to my blog site – Entry # 68 – Posted last June 5, 2012, for my complete interview with Mary about her writing and her work on this project.
Consider the good that you might do with a small donation to this worthy project.
=============
The Maasai, the Mara, Musings, and a fresh water well for Oltorotua, Kenya
Dig This Well! is a site dedicated to the establishment of a fresh water well for Oltorotua, Kenya. A group of congregants from the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick (Maryland), are working with Rotary Clubs in Maryland and Kenya to meet this goal.
To read Blog Posts Click Here: “Why Dig This Well” .
The Oltorotua Clean Water and Sanitation Project
Sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick, MD and Rotary Clubs of Leonardtown, Fredericktowne, Lexington Park & Prince Frederick, MD USA
On the Kenyan plains
• No sanitary way to dispose of human waste threatens the environment and the health of the people.
• Fetching water can be dangerous because of the presence of many large wild animals, including lions and other cats, elephants, and African buffalo.
• Because of the long distance, fetching water consumes much of the day for the women of Oltorotua, whose skills are now untapped.
Jackson Liaram
is a junior elder of Oltorotua village and a silver-level safari guide. He and his wife Susan have 2 children. But no electricity, no toilets … and Susan walks several miles a day for water. Jackson is dedicated to protecting his people and the environment. He wants to find a way to safely dispose of wastewater. He wants to help his people build a safe and reliable clean water supply. A hydrogeological survey shows water is under the village and the village elders have formed a water committee to build for sustainability and water equity and to address hygiene training. The Nakuru-Great Rift Valley Rotary Club is providing local oversight to assure all contributions are wisely used.
With your help we can make a difference by:
• Helping the villagers construct 100 new sanitary latrines.
Safe and clean drinking water and sanitation is a human right essential to the full enjoyment of life and other human rights.”
–>