A Year Later: Water helps improve grades!

Before we helped to install a well in Kasioni Community last year, community members spent countless hours searching for water. This left them exhausted and still without sufficient water to meet all of their needs.

"I had to help in fetching water for the household; thus, I could walk several kilometers to fetch water and come back home," said 15-year-old Mukami M. "Due to the acute water scarcity, both personal and domestic hygiene and sanitation were adversely affected. Also, my family could not practice sufficient farming for financial purposes. Cattle and other domestic animals could also defecate on [our] previous water sources (scoop holes), making the water unhealthy for human consumption."

But now, community members have access to water, which allows them time to do other things.

"I do not spend much time looking for water since this water point is close to my residence," Mukami said. "My grades have improved because I have sufficient time [to] do my homework, thanks to the water point’s close proximity."

Not only have Mukami's grades improved, but other improvements have been possible with water as well.

"The project has also enabled farming through irrigation, thus providing food to the community. Hygiene conditions have also improved because this waterpoint offers clean water for use, hence [we have a] lower occurrence of diseases like typhoid or amoeba," concluded Mukami.

Mukami (in blue) watches other community members drink.