Water Brings Sylvia Great Relief!

Your gift unlocked Sylvia's potential for a brighter future last year. Since then, she and the Ifwetere Community of 120 residents have had clean, reliable water. Your contribution has made a significant impact. Thank you for making a difference!

"Clean and safe water is essential in every community. The accessibility of this precious resource protects us from waterborne diseases like typhoid, sore throat, diarrhea, and even cholera. I am proud because, as a community, these diseases are now a thing of the past."

Before the Spring Protection

Like many in Kenya, 32-year-old Sylvia is responsible for collecting water to meet her daily water needs. This task stole her time before last year’s water intervention and negatively affected her.

The spring before protection.

Drinking the water caused severe consequences. Many in the community suffered from waterborne diseases that created health problems, affecting their daily lives. Limited accessibility also meant people wasted time collecting sufficient water to meet their needs. The difficult journey to collect water sapped their physical and emotional energy, creating roadblocks. For Sylvia, it lessened her opportunity to collect sufficient water to complete her daily chores.

"One of the major challenges I faced with the water source was accessibility. The stairs and collection area were damaged, and falling was very easy," shared Sylvia.

"Overcrowding at the water source was common. A lot of water was leaking from the improvised pipe, reducing the amount available at the collection point. This caused frustration among the community members," she continued.

Since the Spring Protection

Your generous gift last year was much more than a simple donation; it was a powerful statement about your commitment to this community and Sylvia’s future. By supporting the water solution, you made clean water an everyday reality, fostering hope for a brighter future.

Sylvia at the spring.

Reliable and clean water lays the groundwork for improved health, education, and economic possibilities, allowing people to thrive. We frequently hear from those we interview that "water is life!"

"I am feeling optimistic because, over the past year, my family has successfully avoided waterborne diseases such as typhoid, which previously affected us. This has allowed us to save the money we would have spent on medication for other things. Being healthy means I have had adequate time to focus on my farm, and as a result, I have become more productive," said Sylvia.

The Future is Looking Bright!

A year ago, you made a difference for Sylvia and the rest of her community. This is just the first chapter of their story as access to clean water continues to improve their lives!

At The Water Project, we value sustainability and want to ensure that people continue to thrive. We commit to monitoring this project to ensure the water is always flowing and safe to consume. We inspect the system hardware, track water availability, conduct sanitary inspections, and collect water quality samples to identify risks. We work with our team on the ground to resolve them.

You gave Sylvia a crucial tool for achieving her dreams: access to clean water. Together, we can excitedly expect that with this precious resource, her enthusiasm and courage will help fulfill dreams.

"Adequate access to clean and safe water makes work easier and enjoyable. It allows individuals to maintain high levels of hygiene, such as frequent bathing, washing dishes, cleaning clothes, and watering animals as often as desired. Before, it took about one hour to collect [only] 20 liters of water in one trip. After the construction of the new waterpoint, I now take only about 15 minutes to fetch 20 liters of water in one trip, which has been a great relief," said Sylvia.

"Reliable access to water has been a tremendous help, allowing me to complete my household chores quickly and dedicate more time to my small vegetable farm. For the first time, I've been able to sell some of my produce and use it for our household consumption. Even during the dry season, I have managed to keep my vegetables watered and enjoy a steady supply throughout the year."

"My dream is to engage in large-scale vegetable farming. During the dry season, vegetables like kale are very difficult to find and become quite expensive. I believe that focusing on farming will increase my income."

Sylvia works on her farm.