We have set the ball rolling and 60 students and 2 teachers from Msumarini Secondary School have been visiting Asilomar to see and experience what we are doing with our permaculture programme.

We have had a very dry season and the compound was beginning to turn very brown. We hope and expect the delayed rainfall will come in April. We had a good shower of rainfall one day last week and also this morning. Meanwhile we have been preparing the grounds for planting and have already planted some vegetables.

This is what we wanted the students to see before we embark on the first phase of training programme, which we have now scheduled on April 17th - 27th, if the funds permitting. It will be an intensive theory training programme with some practical sessions. We will then have weekly practical training sessions during term time. The schools are now on holiday until end of April but the students have offered to come to the training during this holiday time. It actually works out better for the training because there is no interference with the school timetable which was always going to be a great challenge.

My immediate need at Asilomar is Water tower. We have a challenge with the distribution of water in the compound and the Water tower will make life much easy. The drawing above shows how it will work.

The costings for the water tower are as follows:

PHASE 1

1. EXCAVATION & BACKFILLING, 2m² = 6,000KSH

2. CONCRETE FOOTING & FOUNDATION, 0.6m² = 12,600KSH

3. 4 NO. COLUMNS in foundation 0.32m² @24,000 = 7,680KSH

4. CONCRETE FLOOR SLAB, 2.4㎡²³ @ 12,000 = 28,800KSH

5. 4 NO R.C COLUMNS, S.38M² @ 24,000 = 129,120KSH

6. 12 NO R.C BEAMS, 3.24 M²³ @ 22,000 = 71,280KSH

7. REINFORCED CONC SLAB (4 x 4 x 0.15)3 7.2m² @ 10,000 = 72,000KSH

8. FINISHING (Plaster), 164.52 m² @350 = 57,5825KSH

TOTAL for Phase 1 = 385,062KSH

PHASE 2

1. PIPES 55 pcs (Assorted 3/4’ , 1’/15’) @ 750 – 41,250KSH

2. REDUCERS - 10pcs @ 750 = 7,500KSH

3. SOCKETS, ELBOWS ETC - 60 pcs @ 60 = 3,600KSH

4. GATE VALVES - 10 pes @ 1,500 = 15,000KSH

5. Other Plumbing Items. (Glue, thread Seal, etc) = 3,000KSH

6. Labour (Approx) = 22,000KSH

TOTAL for Phase 2 = 92,350KSH

TOTAL for Phase 1 & 2 in GBP = approximayely £3,000.00