Dutchman in Kenya: drilling against drought

RNW, 6 August 2011, by Rob van Dijk

 (Foto: Robin Hutton)

             

To combat Kenya’s drought and famine, a Dutch resident wants to drill new wells, down to 100 metres, four to ten times deeper than most existing ones. “Most shallow wells have dried up. We could start drilling in two or three months.”

Wim van den Burg lives in southeast Kenya, close to the Somali border. In October and November, the “little rainy season”, there was no rain at all, the Dutchman recounts. “If we didn’t get any rain in the ‘big rainy season’ in November, I realised, we’d be in big trouble. And we are.”

No drinking water

There were a few showers in July. By then most of the corn had been scorched. A few stalks yielded shrivelled oars, far too little to feed all the hungry mouths. Worse still, many wells dried up, leaving people with nothing to drink.

Things are bound to get worse, Van den Burg fears, not just in Kenya, but across East Africa. “The next rainy season, the little one, doesn’t begin until October. Even if we get rain then, people won’t be able to harvest their crops until two or three months later.”

Deep down

Van den Burg has been working in Kenya since 1989. “We’ve dug 50 or 60 wells, each 10 to 25 metres deep. Most of them are still working. But in the remote areas the wells are dry.”

To find water, you need to drill further down, he explains. But to get to some 100 metres down you need a special drill, which costs around 60,000 euros. “Such drills also allow you to test the quality of the water, so you know if it’s worth building a well.”

Last weekend he began a drive to raise the money. Once he gets the drill, thousands of starving, thirsty people will again be able to drink and feed themselves.

More information at www.wimvandenburg.nl

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