Laikipia: a dam instead of a borehole
Near Il Polei in Laikipia North, a borehole would have cost around £40,000, far beyond GIFT’s means. The community and GIFT found another way. A small collection dam was dug, and it filled with rain as soon as it was finished. A tower, a raised 40,000-litre tank, a solar pump and pipework followed in 2025. The system now supplies about 100 people and the community’s botanical garden.
Maasai Mara: from an open dam to a water kiosk
Enkereri relied on an open dam, until a hippo moved in. GIFT has helped with water tanks and guttering for homes with tin roofs, and indigenous trees have been planted inside the dam fence. In 2025 GIFT agreed to fund pipework from a borehole to a water kiosk in the centre of the community. This work is under way.
Other water projects
- Two water tanks and pipework for the Nashula poultry project in Laikipia North (2023–24).
- A water tank at a tree nursery, which also saved families long walks to fetch water.
