Giving Update: Kithuluni Community Sand Dam

October, 2019

A year ago, your generous donation helped Kithuluni community in Kenya access clean water – creating a life-changing moment for Pauline Kioka. Thank you!

Giving Update: Kithuluni Community Sand Dam


Kithuluni community members are enjoying the water attained from the sand dam and shallow well project constructed a year ago. The project harvested water from the rainy seasons.

The environment has improved. It is more serene and cool because there is plenty of water harvested at the river bed by their sand dam. The water attained at the well is fresh for drinking and consumption. Community members are happy about the project.

"Life has improved greatly in the past year, as the struggles that we encountered in pursuit of water diminished," said Pauline Kioka, a local farmer in the community.

"The water has been available to us throughout the year at any time of the day. The distance traveled to get water has reduced significantly and now we have more time at our disposal."

Water is readily available at any time of the day which allows for good hygiene and sanitation practices such as bathing daily, frequent washing of the latrines, washing clothes and water treatment practices. Food hygiene practices such as washing food before consumption to avoid contracting diseases have also been possible thanks to the supply of water.

"The shallow well has very fresh water for drinking and for household chores. The well is always busy because there are always community members thronging at the source to fetch clean water," said Pius Kavila, chair of the water user committee.

"Young adults are no longer idle, as they utilize the water to farm vegetables which they sell and earn some income."

The availability of water has boosted agricultural practices in the region. Farming is progressing well, and community members have planted vegetables on their farms for both domestic use and agribusiness.

"As women, we decided to form a self-help system where we save some money and we can also borrow from each other. This has really been empowered by the availability of water because now we have time to farm and earn an income from selling vegetables and other farm products," Mrs. Kioka said.

"I am very happy about this water project."



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