Stories from the Field
As we work to provide water, we're committed to helping people like you meet your global neighbors and to realize that we all share the same basic needs. We hope to break down stereotypes and the false distinctions between the so-called winners and losers, rich and poor, the needy and charitable, by introducing you to the people we serve with the respect and admiration they rightfully deserve.
These are stories of hope, told in the words of those who carry out this work every day - our friends in the field.
A Year Later: A Healthier Lifestyle!
Munyao M., 15, shared the challenges he faced before we installed Thona community's well last year. “I had to walk several kilometers in search of water after classes daily and arrived home late in the evening. This left me [with] negligible time and energy to focus on my studies, thus leading to poor grades," said Munyao. Not only did Munyao's...
A Year Later: Improved Concentration in Class!
Eleven-year-old Patricia M., a student at Kalatine Primary School, shared what it was like for her and her classmates before a rain tank was installed at their school last year. “We had to go [to] the river to fetch water from the scoop holes, which left us exhausted and unable to fully concentrate on [our] studies. The water we brought using our...
A Year Later: Better Health Leads to More Food!
Like many of her fellow community members, 73-year-old Mwanaisha Omumia, a small-scale farmer and treasurer of the water user committee, used to waste valuable time attempting to collect water from Olando Spring before it was protected last year. "We used to drink dirty water and waste a lot of time at the same time," said Mwanaisha. But since th...
A Year Later: No More Waterborne Disease!
Before Mabanga Community's spring was protected, the health of its people was in jeopardy. "We suffered from waterborne diseases because of the quality of water," explained 15-year-old Protus M. But now that the spring produces naturally filtered water, Protus's life has changed. "We have clean and safe water, hence we have no diseases," he said. ...
A Year Later: Well-Kept Spring Frees Up Time for Play!
Before Shihome Community's spring was protected last year, fetching water was a harrowing ordeal that ate up a lot of community members' time every day. Because the water was coming from multiple sources and was not channeled anywhere, water would often run down the sides of the spring instead of through the community's improvised discharge pipe. ...