Giving Update: Maluvyu Community Well

October, 2019

A year ago, your generous donation helped Maluvyu in Kenya access clean water – creating a life-changing moment for Stella Kumo. Thank you!

Giving Update: Maluvyu Community Well


Maluvyu community members are beyond excited due to the intensive changes experienced in their lives in the year since their sand dam and hand-dug well were constructed. Water scarcity was a huge challenge for these community members in previous years. It was the norm for people to walk long distances to access a mere 20-liter jerry can of water. The time lost fetching water is now over.

"This project is the blessing I was praying for. In the past year, I have been living a completely different life. I used to walk for more than 4 kilometers and spend more than 3 hours at the water source. Now, I walk just 200 meters and spend less than 20 minutes to get water. My tight schedule of waking up at the wee hours of the night to walk many miles in order to access water is gone," said Stella Kumo, a 39-year-old farmer who uses the well to get water.

"I prepare my children to go to school and their breakfast is always ready on time. A year ago, there were times when my children would go to school hungry and they would stay hungry till evening when they ate supper. Now, I can afford to provide all meals for them because I have more time to prepare meals."

The sand dam and hand-dug well system have been a successful and fulfilling project because the community has plenty of water at their disposal. The sand dam has harvested water since its completion and it has been a reliable source for the community members.

"My children really enjoy the duty of fetching water. I can delegate the duties of fetching water to them because the water source is a stone's throw away and it is safe for them because the water source is protected and in an open area," Stella said.

The water attained from the source is fresh and clean for drinking. In the past year, no cases of diarrhea or typhoid have been reported. Hygiene and sanitation have improved tremendously. People we spoke with said that they shower daily and household chores are performed easily because the water is readily available. There is more time available for income-generating activities.

"I have also had time to farm and harvest, unlike before when all my time was spent on fetching water," Stella explained.

Our field staff noticed that Maluvyu's environment has really improved as it is greener, cooler, and very serene. This is because farmers like Stella can grow more crops throughout the year, thanks to the water available at the dam.

"Initially, we solely depended on the drought-resistant crops as our foods, but now we can alter our diets as we please and plant what we want due to the availability of water. We have established vegetable gardens where we plant kale, tomatoes, spinach, arrowroot, onions, and coriander," said Mary Mutua, Vice-Chair of the water committee.

"We had a vague idea of what to expect but this project has done us great! Seeing the gallons of water that have been harvested by this sand dam makes us very happy and proud. All the community members have access to clean water throughout the year."



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