The borehole that almost divided two villages
When a new borehole was sited on a disputed boundary, a local peace committee got both villages talking before anyone reached for a weapon.
Programme: Community peacebuilding & dialogue
When the county drilled a new borehole last dry season, it was meant to end a water shortage. Instead it nearly started a fight. The site sat on land both villages claimed, and within a week young men from each side were guarding it.
Talking before it turned
The local peace committee, trained by QPI two years earlier, asked elders from both villages to meet at a neutral church compound. The first meeting lasted four hours and ended without agreement. The second produced a shared rota for drawing water.
"We realised we were fighting over something that could serve us all." — a committee member (name withheld)
What changed
- A joint water committee now manages the borehole
- Both villages contribute to its maintenance
- The peace committee meets monthly to deal with new disputes early
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