Emmy Wants to Protect Water for Future Generations

Last year, your gift unlocked the potential for a brighter future for Emmy. Since then, she and the Iyala Community of 350 residents have had clean, reliable water. Your contribution has made a significant impact. Thank you for making a difference!

"The place is now safe and secure because we do cleaning at the spring. There is no worry when fetching water. The place has changed, it is clean, and I enjoy fetching water," said Emmy.

Before the Spring Protection

Like many women in Western Kenya, 51-year-old businesswoman Emmy Ayuma is responsible for collecting water to meet her family's daily water needs. Before last year’s water intervention, this task stole her time and negatively affected her.

The spring before it was protected.

Drinking the 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, creating roadblocks. For Emmy, it reduced her ability to stay healthy and collect enough water to meet her daily needs.

"Before the construction of the project, we had many problems such as: it was difficult to access the water point, we were stepping inside the water point while fetching water, the spring had no drainage when it rained, the rains forced the dirty water from the road to enter at the water point and also people would just wash their clothes at the spring because they had no knowledge," recalled Emmy.

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 Emmy’s future. By supporting the water solution, you made clean water an everyday reality, fostering hope for a brighter future.

Emmy collects water 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 take only a few seconds to fetch water because there is no queuing at the water point. There are two pipes from which people can fetch at the same time. It is now faster and more convenient than before," said Emmy.

"Water is life: when you [have] clean water you are safe and healthy. There [are] no cases of waterborne diseases when we take clean water," Emmy celebrated.

The Future is Looking Bright!

A year ago, you made a difference for Emmy 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.

You gave Emmy 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 her fulfill her dreams.

Emmy picks produce from her garden.

"My future dream is to take care of the spring, so that my generation, and the generations to come, can use the same water and access it easily!" declared Emmy.

The water has opened up new opportunities for Emmy. It's changed her life, and she wants to ensure that everyone has the same advantages in the future.

"The water from the spring has enabled me to establish a kitchen garden that now ensures [a] reliable supply of vegetables. I am proud of [having] reliable, safe, and clean water for the past year. I was used to buying medicines for stomachaches, but now the pain has reduced considerably," Emmy shared.