About

Kokwa Island is rocky and receives less than 1000mm of rainfall per year denying residents’ opportunity for rain-fed farming. Their main economic activity for the community is fishing but the county government of Baringo and other well-wishers are working towards diversifying livelihood means for the community. Like other tourist destinations in Kenya, decline in tourism because of insecurity has also affected Lake Baringo.

Although Kokwa Island has very high temperatures, the community has not benefited much from this renewable, reliable and sustainable solar energy. The Kenya government provided facilities for tapping solar energy in Kokwa and Kirepari schools which have greatly supported learning in both schools and community through lighting, phone charging and powering a small computer lab at Kokwa school. Students (girls) boarding in Kokwa school are also able to conduct night revision studies at the school.

Kokwa Island is not connected to power grid and might not be for a long time. It is therefore very dark in the night in villages which makes it very difficult and dangerous for people to venture out of houses or walk in the villages. While snakes, Hippopotamus, Crocodiles and other creatures are attractive, enhance biodiversity and are tourists’ attractions, they do also pose danger to human beings if not managed and handled properly.

In most Kokwa homes, lighting is done by inefficient tin lamps that consume expensive kerosene which are a health hazard especially to children (affecting eyes and breathing systems) and are potential sources for house fires. Simple household solar lamps would greatly improve lighting (including enabling children to study at home) reduce pollution and fire hazards for the families. Unfortunately their cost is unaffordable by most Kokwa households.

All households on the island use wood fuel open fire stoves for domestic and fish smoking uses. The 2 schools also consume a little of wood fuel in preparing food for students. The island has little tree vegetation that cannot support the demand which threatens to make it bare soon. There is therefore urgent need to introduce and promote energy efficient practices such as use of energy saving stoves for both household and fish smoking purposes to reduce consumption of wood fuel and at the same time demonstrate to the community that it is possible to establish woodlots on the island from which to source wood fuel materials in the future.