Melvin Enjoys Spending Time with Her Mum!

Last year, your gift unlocked the potential for a brighter future for Melvin. Since then, she and the Mukongolo Community of 140 residents have had clean, reliable water. Your contribution has made a significant impact. Thank you for making a difference!

"We have no stress; we are sure of clean water every day," said Melvin.

Before the Spring Protection

Like many young girls in Kenya, 12-year-old Melvin is responsible for collecting water to meet daily water needs. Before last year’s water intervention, this task stole her time 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 Melvin, in particular, it lessened her opportunity to stay healthy and attend school regularly.

"We used to line up with adults; most of the time, they would fetch before us even if they came after we had lined up. We wasted so much time," said Melvin.

"We had stomachaches many times and missed [out] on a lot of community activities as a result of being sick," 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 Melvin’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!"

"The worry we had was getting sick. We no longer have that as the water is clean, and we have chlorine to treat it. Our spring is much cleaner, and the spouts give enough water to fill [our] jerricans quicker. My health is better. I am able to join other children my age in community activities. I am learning a lot through these," shared Melvin.

The Future is Looking Bright!

A year ago, you made a difference for Melvin and the rest of her school. 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 Melvin 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.

"My performance has improved as I have enough time for school work. I use the time saved to bond with my mum. I am learning a lot from her on how to be a woman of substance," said Melvin.

"My dream is for my community to have all basic needs without having to struggle."

Happy Melvin!