Benson Provides for His Family and Lives in Peace!

Last year, your gift unlocked the potential for a brighter future for Benson. Since then, he and the Katavui Community of 300 residents have had clean, reliable water. Your contribution has made a significant impact. Thank you for making a difference!

"It is peaceful to have adequate water in our village. I don’t worry anymore about where my next drop of water will come from. My home is cleaner. My grandchildren are no longer sick from drinking dirty water. We can plant and eat fresh vegetables. Life is more stable and dignified."

Before the Sand Dam Installation

Like many farmers in Kenya, 59-year-old Benson Muthui requires a substantial amount of water to meet his daily needs. Before last year’s water intervention, this was nearly impossible.

The previous water source.

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 Benson, in particular, it lessened his opportunity to produce sufficient food and increase his income.

"Last year, water was a daily struggle. We would walk long distances—up to 3 hours—to [the] Kaliluni River or to a distant borehole. The scoop hole water was often dirty and would run out quickly. At the borehole, we had to queue for hours and still pay money we didn’t have. Many of us, especially the elderly, suffered from back pain and exhaustion because we had to carry heavy jerrycans. The worst part was the stress—wondering every day if we’d even get water," said Benson.

Since the Sand Dam Installation

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

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!"

"Life is better now. The water is nearby and clean. There’s no need to rush or queue for hours. My family can carry what I need easily and return home with energy left to do other things. That feeling of constant panic over water is gone. Even my goats can drink from the well without me worrying," celebrated Benson.

"We’ve grown vegetables—bananas, kale, and onions for feeding our families while earning something from. Now, [we] have enough food for the home and sometimes even some to sell because we now have time to prepare our farms. We are also still making soap for sale using available water from the protected well, which gives us a little extra income. Our home compound is greener too—we’ve planted trees," he continued.

The Future is Looking Bright!

A year ago, you made a difference for Benson and the rest of his 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 Benson a crucial tool for achieving his dreams: access to clean water. Together, we can excitedly expect that with this precious resource, his enthusiasm and courage will help Beson fulfill his dreams.

"I am proud that we can now provide food from our farms to feed our families because we have been growing vegetables and getting more time to work on reaping better farm yields. Before, I depended on the market even for vegetables. Now we have grown our own. Most of the members have also planted trees in their homes using seedlings from our tree nursery," said Benson.

"At my age, my biggest dream is to leave something behind for my children and grandchildren—a better life than I had. With water, they can farm, live healthy lives, and maybe even start businesses. Water makes all dreams easier to achieve—it is the foundation of everything," Benson shared.

Benson (in white) with other community members at the well attached to the sand dam.