Saloni Mukesh Maru(participant)

*Group name

Nature's Angels

*Project name

Nurturing Nature with Nature

*Country/Region

Kenya/Nairobi

*Type of Group

Home

*Number of total members of your group/project

5 persons

*Number of regular participants in activities

5 persons

*Characteristic of members

We live in Kenya and are interested in Environmental activites. And are working for it since last three years.

*Theme(s) of your group/project

*Water Issues

*Missions and activities of your group/project

Missions and acivities.
Our Mission
1. To provide clean drinking water to the rural areas.
2. To ensure that this water is safe
3. To ensure that this water is free from diseases.
4. To educate the rural population on how to purify the dirty water by using the powder from Moringa seeds.
5. To ensure them that this is more economical and cheaper method than filter machines.
6. Educated them to plant more seeds of this plant as it could grow in any conditions with little water .
7. To educate them on the benefits of Moringa trees.
8. To show them the importance of tree planting.

Some actions were taken to improve the squalid conditions of the rural population.
1. Tree planting.  We started planting trees at different places like the school, Karura and enlightening people about the importance of trees.
2. We went to clean the Nairobi river, Nairobi National Park and Nairobi dam.
3. We visited the slum area and educated them on the benefits of Moringa Oleifera tree, its economical value and how it acts as a water purifier so they can use it to clean the dirty water they drink.
4. We carried out public demonstrations on how to purify the dirty water with the help of the powder from the seeds.
5. We visited the farm to educate the farmers about the moringa tree and its importance so they can begin using it in their farms on a large scale.
6. We gave seeds to the rural population for planting seeds.

We showed them the process of water purification which occurs as follows.First we crushed the dry seeds into a fine powdered form and sprinkled them into the dirty water.  The water was left aside for a few hours. After a few hours we showed them how the dirt was cleared leaving the seeds and the dirt at the bottom.  Then we filtered the water using the filter cloth and boiled. We explained them that this water was now safe for drinking.  It was more safer as well as economical than filter machines.

*Most importnat way of thinking of your group/project for environment

The project Nuturing Nature with Nature was developed seeing the needs of the rural area three months ago.  On our recent visit to a village we found that the rivers were contaminated with wastes and sewage dumps.  Evidence of this was an unfriendly colour of murky brown and grey.  We realized that the same water was used for drinking, cooking and bathing.  This contaminated water was a major cause of water-borne diseases like cholera and typhoid.

*Major publications and articles

Dirty water has been an environmental issue in Kenya for a long time now. With majority of the population being poor and living in rural villages and slums, they have absolutely no knowledge on the importance of clean water and hygiene for their good health and future.  On visiting the Kenya Forestry Research Institution (KEFRI) we learnt about the Moringa Oleifera seeds as a useful water purifier. Realizing that this could possibly solve the water problem in Kenya, we decided to make it our project and carried out a little research on the subject to enhance our project.

*What kind of group/project do you want to exchange for imformation and experience with?

We would like to exchange our views and information with other groups as they would be able to use our project in their own countries and we would be able to learn about their environmental projects dealing with rural population and make use of it in our country.

*Impression of Children's World Summit for the Environment 2005 Aichi

Attending the summit has helped me as my ideas on environmental issues increased greatly and shall now be able to help the citizens of Kenya use these ideas I received I at the summit.  The summit in overall was good because children all around the world had interacted and ideas had been shared, thus children children shall be able to carry out he solutions to their countries environmental problems by bringing these ideas home and acting on it.

*Others

After coming from the summit I gave talks to children about environmental issues as todays youth are tommorows
responsible citizens.  I started on working on tree planting campaigns and also started a water purification project which would help the rural people in their future as moringa trees are more economical as well as resourceful plan.  They can use these seeds to purify their water .

*Contact person

Saloni Mukesh Maru

*Contact Address

P.O.Box 22431, 00400 Tom mboya, Nairobi, Kenya

*Email

cheekymunky_145@hotmail.com

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