Lokomarinyang’ is the name of a village and a rolling hill west of the village. The village and the Ilemi Triangle in which it is located are disputed territories between South Sudan and Kenya. It is located off the E373 road, and is roughly circular-shaped and mainly composed of small huts or “manyattas” and other minor residential and commercial structures. (Source: Wikipedia)
Lokomarinyang’, whose name means “place of the yellow soil”, is inhabited by the Turkana people. The hundreds of “manyattas” dotting the village have had one common challenge for generations; lack of fresh water in a harsh environment. When Water for the World (W4W) arrived to drill a borehole for the community, even finding the water to use for drilling was a real problem, not to mention water needed for other chores. The W4W crew had to drive for approximately 20 kilometers to get water for drinking!
Ground breaking of the well began with prayers for the success of the project led by the local priest. Determination by the crew resulted in drilling 100 meters in just two days. An unprecedented yield of 24,000 litres an hour was achieved at the end of the drilling and casing.
The local priest was back to lead the village in thanksgiving for a successful project, a mission that had failed in the past. The borehole will be equipped with a solar pump. It is expected that the community school will achieve better results with pupils spending less time fetching water from miles away.
