By Lydia Ngoolo
In a dry area off Kibwezi town in Makueni County, one would think they are approaching an irrigation scheme just by the smell of fresh air from crops grown in Ititi Secondary School.
The face of the man behind the epic transformation, Principal Andrew Mutula Kasyoka, lights up with a broad smile as he looks across the school compound.
When he joined the school in May 2018, he found a depressingly dry school compound. But two years later, he has transformed it into an oasis of plenty and beauty.
First, he had to revive a stalled borehole project.
“Students were fetching water outside the school compound using a handcart pulled by two bulls borrowed from a neighbour. It was hectic. In July 2018, the Lions Club donated a hand pump which we used to pump water out of the borehole, thus easing the students struggle to get water,” he said.
Things got even better when Safaricom donated a 20,000-litre water tank and a solar panel to help them pump the water from borehole.
“With that, nothing prevented us from going into full farming. We transformed the school land into an oasis in a desert. We planted several types of banana, sukuma wiki, potatoes, pepper, cassava among other crops,” he says.
When Covid-19 hit the country and schools were closed indefinitely, school workers continued to tend to the farm, watering the crops and weeding. Several months later, the farm is brimming with ready crops.
Besides providing the students and school community with fresh food, the surplus is sold, thus boosting the school financially.
“We wanted something which would even generate money for the school. Some institutions are wondering how they will cope during the coronavirus crisis, but thanks to the farm, we can make ends meet,” says Kasyoka.
The farm is also used as an instruction aid for Agriculture students and those who want to acquire better farming skills.
Esther Muli and William Mbunza say they have used the skills learnt at the school farm to start their own farming projects at home.
Kibwezi sub-county director of Education Kennedy Machora encouraged schools with water sources to start similar farming projects.
“Such projects will boost the students’ nutrition. The money from the sales can be used to fund development projects,” Machora said when he visited the school recently.
