Giving Update: Musutsu Community, Mwashi Spring

October, 2019

A year ago, your generous donation helped Musutsu Community in Kenya access clean water – creating a life-changing moment for Nelly Musimbi. Thank you!

Giving Update: Musutsu Community, Mwashi Spring


Thanks to the protection of Mwashi Spring last year, community members in Musutsu have been able to regularly access water that is clean and safe. Before Mwashi Spring was protected, the water was exposed to contaminants which risked spring users' health on a daily basis.

A visit to the community a year after the project's completion showed that there has been a tremendous improvement in terms of sanitation and hygiene. During our visits to various homes, we spotted at least one if not all sanitation facilities required in a healthy home, such as dishracks, latrines, bathing rooms, and clotheslines. This indicates that the sanitation and hygiene training done in the village continues to have an impact. 

Having appreciated the project, Mwashi Spring users are indeed a happy lot and the community continues to try to ensure that the spring is maintained well and that every member observes good hygiene standards.

"As a community, we now collect clean, safe water faster and more efficiently compared to back then when our water was exposed to contaminants, making it difficult to collect clean water. Fetching water at the spring is now [more] enjoyable than before its protection. We no longer hear of infections related to waterborne diseases as it used to before the spring was protected," said Beatrice Musimbi, who depends on Mwashi Spring for her daily water needs.

Girl fetching water at the spring

14-year-old Nelly Musimbi is Beatrice's daughter, and Nelly also reflected on how this project has impacted her life over the last year.

"Ever since the implementation of the project, I no longer have to worry about fetching water every day of the week. Nowadays it is easier and faster to collect water from the protected spring’s pipe; I only make a few trips on the weekend to help my mother. Thanks to this discharge pipe, I no longer have to wait for a long time to fetch water," she said.

"My hygiene standards have improved personally. I am able to bathe, put on clean clothes, brush my teeth in the right way and of course observe the 10 steps of handwashing...Thanks to The Water Project for coming to our rescue. I have no reason to complain. At the moment, my life is on the right track."



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