"The [water] project spiced life [up] in this community," reported Field Officer Jemmimah Khasoha reflecting on her recent visit to Maji Mazuri Spring in Burachu B.
"With the water project, the people are able to easily access clean and safe water without worry. From the outward observation, the members of this community have clean compounds, bathrooms, toilets, and kitchen gardening [is] doing well. All this happened as a result of the training conducted during the implementation of the project. There is no negative change in this community for all the changes are positive," Jemmimah noted.
Joan Nasike, a community member in Burachu B who depends on Maji Mazui Spring for her daily water needs, shared what life has been like since the spring's protection last year:
"The biggest changes that have occurred is that we have access to clean and safe water. I remember...people visiting me in my home and [they] would ask [me], "Where do you get your drinking water?" If you happened to say Maji Mazuri [Spring], they would not drink and that was the end of the meeting," she said.
"They felt the water was very dirty and indeed it was...for it was open to anything and anyone. These statements used to torture me and [I] was praying that one day we will have...clean water."
"This came into reality and [I] am glad that God answered the prayers. We now receive many visitors [and] they can strongly drink water without asking questions because they knew we have been reached out to. The sanitation platforms that we received also have helped us to keep hygiene and this has improved our health."
Field Officer Jemmimah Khasoha with Elias Masinde at the spring
18-year-old Elias Masinde met us at the spring and shared what the spring protection and training have meant to him as a young person and former-student in the community.
"My life has changed in different ways. When our spring was protected, it was my joy and brought some victory. I was by then a [school] candidate and so I used to suffer getting to school late [because I would] need some water to use and before you [could] get it it is already dirty...The suffering came to an end when the water was protected and my life had a turnaround, I had enough time to study [and] my health improved for flu was my friend no more."
"I happened to have attended the training and this is what has made me who I am now. I learned to be responsible and so I noted things that can make you a great person. Now that [I] am out of school, I involve myself in planting vegetables that I sell and this brings income. All these changes came as a result of [the] project and I am very grateful [to you] for thinking about us."
Elias with friend Ibrahim Okumu at the spring