Giving Update: Irumbi Community, Okang'a Spring

Irumbi Community has developed over the last year because they have enough access to water used for drinking and domestic chores, thanks to the protection of Okang'a Spring. They have also saved a lot of income previously used for medication as a result of waterborne and water-related diseases.

"This has changed our community way of life," said Victor Musoga of the spring protection, pictured above in the center. "We have also improved in our farming activities during the dry season where we are able to sprinkle our crops compared to other years when we suffered looking for water."

"There is no overcrowding at the spring because we have 2 pipes which are discharging at [a] high rate and there is a lot of water compared to other years where we used to take a lot of time using a jug to fetch water, but now there is no time-wasting. Waterborne diseases have again reduced because our spring is now backfilled compared to other years when it was open. It is also easy to access water [more] than other years when we used to fall [carrying] water before [the] protection of the place. Now we have staircases [and] this makes us comfortable."

Okang'a Spring green with grass and still flowing strong a year after completion

In talking with Mr. Musoga about agriculture, we also encouraged him and his community to unite and form income-generating activities like growing vegetables and poultry farming. These will help them to raise money to maintain the spring and support other community members in both financial emergencies and in giving loans to start small businesses or make improvements to their homesteads.

10-year-old Bravin Obama was not to be left out in sharing his opinion at the spring, reflecting on how this project has impacted his community:

"Life has really changed because now we have access to water compared to other years when the area around the spring was bushy and people feared coming to this spring because there were snakes and other bad animals that could cause harm and injuries, but now the place is clean and safe to fetch water," he said.

"During the past years, we used to treat water with chlorine before consumption and for domestic use, but now there is no need because the area is well protected and [we have the] availability of clean and safe water for consumption."

Bravin Obama at the spring