Several women groups in Nakuru County have continued to benefit through the Rotary Club of Nakuru’s 6T’s project.
The 6T’s project that was started around 2002 is focusing on transforming communities and the society at large.
The focus areas include: Tanks (each containing 10,000 litres of water), Toilets (one for each tank), Trees (100 trees planted for each tank), Table Banking (a saving scheme or micro-financing for water tanks and small business start-ups e.g. food crops and animals), Training( hygiene & teaching) and lastly Transformation – from poverty to prosperity.
A group of women beneficiaries of the Project in Elementaita, Gilgil sub county of Nakuru admit that the project has seen them transform from poverty and now their livelihoods are now at another level.
Addressing the media in the area led by Ms Nyawira Maina,the women stated that the establishment of the tanks has helped solve the challenges they were facing in accessing clean drinking water.
Ms Nyawira who has lived in the area since 1984, says the area has had perianal drought with locals having to struggle long distances seeking water services.
According to her, the water from a distant river is not fit for human consumption but just for domestic use.
She is however quick to commend the Rotary Club of Nakuru for the Tanks establishment through groups that has enabled them enjoy clean water services, toilets as well as planting trees.
“We have been having challenges in accessing clean water in this area. But since 2002 we now have tanks for rain water harvesting so that we can have clean water for drinking” she said.
Ms Rebekah Wangari from Rotary Club of Nakuru who is also the facilitator of the tank project among community groups reveals that they have been doing rain water harvesting in various areas in Nakuru County among them Njoro and Elementaita since 2002.
Under the 6T’s project, over 6,300 tanks have been established that have a capacity of 10,000 litres of water.
Ms Wangari adds that every member who joins a registered group must plant 100 trees, avail good toilets, attend training, and participate in Table banking that will see the member get a loan from Rotary Club of Nakuru towards transformation.
Currently the Rotary Club of Nakuru is now looking at how it can empower the women groups to form a Sacco for more economic empowerment.
“With the 6T’s Project we want to see a transformed society. As Rotary Club of Nakuru we are already looking at formation of a Sacco on the same” said Ms Wangari.
Rotary Club of Nakuru President-elect Joab Okello while reiterating the importance of the 6T’s Project stated that since inception they have been able to construct over 6,500 tanks.
He adds that the harvested water has been able to serve households for up to one year since they have other sources of water for washing and other domestic use.
“Since inception in 2002, we are proud to state that the Project has transformed communities in areas such as Elementaita and Njoro” said Okello.
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