Water Improves Daily Life for Zipporah's Family!

Last year, your gift unlocked the potential for a brighter future for Zipporah. Since then, she and the 450 residents of Eshikufu Community have had clean, reliable water. Your contribution has made a significant impact. Thank you for making a difference!

"This clean water has changed my family's life and livelihood," celebrated Zipporah.

Before the Spring Protection

Like many in Western Kenya, 56-year-old Zipporah Opele is responsible for collecting water to meet her daily water needs. Before last year’s water intervention, this task stole her time and negatively affected her.

The spring before protection.

Drinking water from the previous water source 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. For Zipporah, it meant her opportunity to complete her daily tasks was limited.

"Before this project was completed, it was very difficult for me to get water from the spring. The collection area was full of stagnant water and algae, making it hard to collect clean water. There were many tiny insects around the spring that bit us and caused skin irritation, so it was uncomfortable to stand there while waiting to fetch water. The wing wall, headwall, and stairwell were damaged, and the ground around the spring was slippery and unsafe. During the rainy season, many of us would slip and fall while trying to access the water. Because collecting water took a long time, the spring was often crowded, and we had to wait for long periods before we could fill our containers," recalled Zipporah.

Since the Spring Protection

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

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

"Since the project was implemented, my health has improved because we now practice regular hand washing with soap, which has reduced cases of stomach illness and skin infections that were common before. I have also been able to make soap at home, something I could not do before. This has made it easier to keep myself and my family clean, even when we do not have money to buy soap," Zipporah shared.

The Future is Looking Bright!

A year ago, you made a difference for Zipporah and 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 system hardware, monitor water availability, conduct sanitary inspections, and collect water-quality samples to identify risks. We work with our on-the-ground team to resolve them.

Zipporah's garden.

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

"In the past year, having reliable access to water has helped me improve my family's wellbeing and be more productive. Since I no longer spend a lot of time fetching water, I have been able to focus more on my farming, household activities, and even opened a sewing business at home. The reliable water has helped me maintain a kitchen garden for my vegetables, [and] do crop farming. This reliable water has improved my livelihood and has helped me invest more time and effort in my work," Zipporah said.

"My dream for the future is to grow my sewing business and expand it. Also, I want to improve my farming activities so that I can earn a better income, support my family, and improve our lives," she concluded.