For years, Meswondo Water Spring in Konoin, Bomet County was on its deathbed due to encroachment by grazers and erosion due poor land use. However, the spring is roaring back to life after the World Bank Funded Programme FLLOCA (Financing Locally-Led Climate Action) intervened.

Meswondo Water Spring is one of the projects in Bomet County that has benefited from the programme, by the World Bank and Bomet government. Meswondo residents could not hide their joy following the intervention.

“This intervention is very timely. When this spring was slowly dying, we were forced to travel long distances in search of water for domestic use,” Ann Korir said.

The small-scale trader who is also a vegetable farmer said at times she was forced to walk more than three kilometres to get water

“One time, I lost all my crops because I got tired watering the plants after the dry season extended by more than one month and I was forced out of business,” she added, praising the programme and the county administration.

Korir’s is among 2,000 households who are going to benefit from the 5,000-cubic metre dam created from the intervention. Meswondo is strategically located to supply water through gravity, a thing local leaders have termed sustainable. Bomet Governor Hillary Barchok who led the launch of the project said it was a big relief.

“Our people here in Meswondo have gone through a tough time due to scarce water for domestic use and the launch of this project is a relief,” Barchok said.

Barchok said the project not only helps in alleviating water shortage but also help in environmental protection. He said the county expects locals to contribute to climate mitigation through agricultural activities that advance protection of the environment. The county administration, he went on, was distributing avocado seedlings to farmer groups to increase tree cover and help in generating income.

Barchok promised that through the various activities, the environment will be more secure and locals economically empowered.