A Year Later: Mukangu 2 Community

A year ago, generous donors helped rehabilitate a well with the Mukangu 2 Community in Western Kenya. Because of these gifts and contributions from our monthly donors, partners can visit project sites throughout the year, strengthening relationships with communities and evaluating the actual water project. These consistent visits allow us to learn vital lessons and hear amazing stories – we’re excited to share this one from our partner, Paul Weringa, with you.

It's been a year of relief for people living in Mukangu, as they no longer worry about drinking dirty water. With a pump on this clean water well, there are no more complaints of chest pains and back pains that came as a result of pulling a heavy bucket up and down the well.

Waterborne disease is history for them, as their health is good and they can now save the money used on treatment for development.

Mrs. Rose Meshack Maikuba and Officer Paul Weringa at the well.

We met well caretaker Mrs. Rose Meshack Maikuba to talk about the changes she's observed over the past year. "Initially, our children used to have uncontrolled coughs and skin diseases that came as a result of drinking or bathing in water from the open well. Besides the coughs and skin diseases, diarrhea and typhoid was a threat to our lives. Today, we are healthy and continue to enjoy the clean water from the rehabilitated well. My home is close to the well, so I don’t have to worry anymore. I do the rest of my activities not troubled of how I will get water. Even at night, I can still access water. I do not have water-related stress anymore.

Mrs. Maikuba pumping clean water from the well in Mukangu.

Our animals have also enjoyed the water from this well. Unlike before, when we lost more of our livestock through death that came as a result of drinking contaminated water from the river; they are now healthy and we now have an increase in milk production. When we sell the milk, we are able to pay school fees for our children," she said.

She continued on to talk about how clean water has even made washing clothes better and easier: "Being a church member, we put on white dresses on Sundays or during church functions. I used have problems when washing these clothes because the water from the open well was stained, and this stained my clothes. Today, my clothes are no longer stained because of the clean water from the rehabilitated well."

Paul speaking with community members about the importance of contributing fees to be saved for maintenance.

The only challenge here is that many people are still not willing to contribute fees for their well, which would be used for maintenance. They have the idea that water should be free, but the well is really providing a service that needs to be maintained to ensure sustainability. Our team continues to engage with them on this through our quarterly monitoring visits and other trainings.

The Water Project and our partners are committed to consistent monitoring of each water source. Our monitoring and evaluation program, made possible by monthly donors, allows us to visit communities up to 4 times a year. Read more about our program and how you can help.