Pipeline

Pipeline on Christmas Day

As the party drew to a close, my new mazungu friend and I bid farewell to the children and began the fifteen minute walk across the grassland to The Camp, now to give a clearer picture of what the camp is I will explain using the little knowledge I have and may apologise in advance for any inaccuracies as I'm pretty green to all of this.

Five years ago due to political unrest surrounding the 2005 many people were displaced off their traditional homelands, this resulted in much violence and civil unrest, over time the displaced were given a small parcel of money to relocate, a number of these people pooled their money and purchased this block of land now known as Pipeline IDP (Internally Displaced People) camp.  But of course their pittance of a pay out from the government that displaced them off their original land only bought land!  There was no room for luxuries, no drinking water, no electricity, no washing or toilet facilities, this was basic living at its most basic....

But in the true spirit of mankind the world over, the predominantly Kikuyu people of Pipeline, began to make this home. And with the assistance of a variety of international aide agencies these people created shelter over their families heads.  And by shelter I mean the vast majority used large tarpaulins stretched over branches cut from the scrub that grows on grasslands I walk each day, or the luckier (richer) ones managed to get corrugated iron and created small one room living areas for their family, on average two adults and three children.  A family of five people all squished together in an area approximately six foot by four foot and if they are lucky about six foot in height, this wasn't living this was survival.

Marc and I talk as we wind our way across the grasslands towards the camp.  as we approach the camp we pass a man passed out in the long grass, we visually check him, he is breathing but obviously under the influence of something pretty potent, as he's out cold...

Marc begins to explain the basics of the composting latrine initiative his is implementing.  Simply put, he submitted a proposal to the committee and families of Pipeline IDP camp, giving them the opportunity to purchase through a programme similar to the micro finance models, their very own self composting latrine.  Marc has personally borrowed money himself to fund this, whilst he has also partnered with a Norwegian company.  He is using only locally sourced materials and labour to install these choo's into the camp, and if I remember correctly he has already built or has commitment for over 39 latrines.  

The latrine itself is a simple corrugated iron structured built off the ground with three steps leading up to a solid door.  Inside the technology is simple, but effective and works in two ways.

Each latrine has two compartments, divided by a purple sliding panel.  each compartment is used for a twelve month period, the human waste drops directly into the corresponding sealed compartments directly beneath the latrine. The urine is diverted off and can be used on the crops (Marc tells me research has shown the phosphate in human urine will increase crop size significantly and has no detrimental effect) the excrement that's deposited below the choo is sealed in such away that the latrine is odourless. After twelve months the purple divider is slide across and the second compartment is then used for waste, at the end of the second twelve months, the first compartment of waste has totally composted and has become perfectly safe to use on crops....
This simple technology has the potential to change lives within the IDP camp.  The elimination of shared latrines, reduces the risk of so many sanitary born illness and disease, people are beginning to regain a sense of ownership of their community.

Families are buying these choo's from Marc, for around $150 USD and making weekly repayments to him until ownership is complete.  Of course community "buy in" is imperative with any such scheme be it; sanitation, water, or education a community must feel it is there's if it's to work, and this is no different.

After showing me the latrines we take a walk around the camp.  There is no denying its basic to say the least, if not primitive in parts and luxuries are certainly not something these people experience.  There is no running water, there is no electricity, but at least now because of Marc's scheme safe sanitation is becoming a reality.  As we walk we are greeted by dozens of beautiful children, most are dressed in a range of eclectic, but clean clothes and greet us with warm open smiles, all calling out the now familiar catch cry of
     
          "howareyou mazungu?"

The smell of food cooking wafts from the small canvas structures, how women can cook and prepare food for their families in such confines is beyond me.

One man invites me into his home, and proudly introduces me to his wife.  A beautiful but tired young woman around 25/30 is sat on a small stool, cooking chapatis over a smoky small charcoal stove, inside a canvas structure no more than six foot by four foot. The man is hunched over as he can barely stand up right, but he proudly tells me this is home to himself, his wife and their three children.  Its so hot inside with the heat of the stove and the beating sun, so we move back outside, once outside he asks me if I can get corrugated iron for him to use as a roof on his home, it breaks my heart to say I can't help him, I've been warned time and again to not commit myself to anything, because the well of need is bottomless, and its impossible to help all.  Marc watches this exchange  expressionless, he too must have been asked the same questions many times.

As we walk away, we are in agreement that the roll of the mazungu here, isn't to freely give to those who must try and help themselves, it is only to assist in the process of rebuilding.

           Only give freely to those who can't help themselves - the children

Next I'm shown the camp's clinic, this has been set up by Cassandra and the team at the So They Can organisation, there is also a small simple corrugated iron meeting room, used for camp meetings and when a community voice needs to be heard   (I so wish I could share with you photos of this place, but blogging this way, it is proving difficult to upload photos)

My tour of the camp is coming to a close and Marc guides me back to the path where we came in, I'm told as always head to the blue roofs in the distance, Aberdare Ranges Primary school is a visible landmark and as I make my way out the camp, the drunk is still laying in the grass though he has rolled over, the greetings and waving is constant, the smiles are warm, this could be any small community anywhere in the world.  This is Pipeline......

Merry Christmas 2012
"It's always the right time to do the right thing"