By WANJALA .B. DANSON
Residents of Emaira Village in Butere Constituency Kakamega County are looking forward to benefit from a twenty one million water and dispensary project be funded by Community Development Trust Fund, CDTF, in collaboration with the Nation Government in partnership with the European Union. The project is set to be completed in two years time.
According to the Chairman, the project implementation committee, PIC, Mr. Mike Odino, an agreement with the main contractor was signed on 1st August, this year, allowing construction work to start.
The agreement states that CDTF will fund 90% of the project cost while the community is to meet 10% of the estimated cost, translating to about 19 million and 2 million shillings respectively.
“The Water and Dispensary Project rests on an acre piece of land, donated by Kakamega County government,” said PIC Chairman.
Mr. Odino added that the local community is meeting the 10% project cost through donation of construction materials like sand, stones, bricks and unskilled labor to support the project which is managed by a nine member committee, compositing of six men and three women.
A recent survey conducted to establish the need for the project revealed that 56% of Emaira residents and live in abject poverty and dire need for health services. “Emaira residents walk for at least five kilometers to access health services at Bukura and Makunga dispensaries,” said Mr. Odino.
Poverty in the area has been on the increase due to lack of sustainable health services, money, and knowledge to control preventable diseases.
