Kenya: 22,000 residents to benefit from solar-powered water pump in Kwale County

Around 22,000 residents of the Kwale County Government in Kenya would be able to have water access in their farms and homes with an installation of a solar-powered water pump at Nyalani Dam, according to a report by Hapa Kenya.

Installed by the M-PESA Foundation in collaboration with Kwale County's government it cost a total of Ksh15 million to its builders. The project is being expected to stimulate food production by supplying water to 105 acres of farmland in the county. The project will reportedly aid health and sanitation facilities among its natives by providing water access to the area.

Talking on the installation Les Baillie, the Executive Director of M-PESA Foundation reportedly said, "at Safaricom, through our Foundations, we have been able to ensure water availability to communities either on a small scale or a large scale. As M-PESA Foundation, we dedicated ourselves to supporting the residents of Kwale County by rehabilitating the Nyalani Dam which is crucial for the water and agricultural needs of the people".

However, M-PESA and Kwale's government executed an integrated disaster risk reduction project in 2014 to address essential needs such as water supply, improved sanitation, hygiene awareness, nutrition awareness, food security, health care interventions, and agricultural cooperatives.

One of Safaricom's CSR arms, M-PESA Foundation, had reportedly invested Ksh231 million, around Ksh25 million from the county government's side in the Nyalani Dam rehabilitation.