A Year Later: Boosting Family's Diet!

Last year, community members of Nzimba used to walk extremely far distances to find water.

“Before the construction of this sand dam project, I used to walk for long distances (about ten kilometers) to [the] Kamunyu River in order to fetch water for use," said 70-year-old farmer Kimelu Mutui.

"[The] Kamunyu River is also seasonal with an inadequate supply of water; thus, conducting personal hygiene and sanitation was an occasional affair. I had to borrow water for cooking or drinking from other community members when I was not able to go fetch water from the seasonal Kamunyu River.”

But since we installed a second sand dam and shallow well pair in Nzimba, life has become much easier for people who lived on the farthest edges of the community, like Kimelu.

“I am now able to get water for cooking and drinking within a short time because the shallow well is close to my home," Kimelu said. "I also get more time and energy to focus on activities like tree-planting, cultivating kitchen gardens, and crop cultivation. This waterpoint enables crop irrigation and offers enough water for hygiene and sanitation (both personal and general).”

Now that farming has been simplified, Kimelu hopes to extend her planting reach even further.

“Through this water point, I can manage to water the tree nurseries we have at home for income generation," Kimelu said. "I plan to improve [my] vegetable garden, where I will plant more kale, spinach, and onions for boosting my family’s diet.”

Kimelu at the well.