Nicholas Gains Peace and Time to Farm!

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

"The water is close by, clean, and always available — even during the dry season."

Before the Well Installation

Like many in Kenya, 50-year-old Nicholas Mulalya is responsible for collecting water to meet his daily needs. Before last year’s water intervention, this task stole his time and negatively affected him.

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.

"Before the sand dam and shallow well were constructed, water was our greatest challenge. We depended on a distant open earth dam that was not only far, but also unsafe. The water was often contaminated; during dry seasons, it would dry up or become too low to meet everyone’s needs. Our women and children were burdened daily, walking for hours just to bring back a few jerrycans. The time spent, the exhaustion, and the health risks made life extremely difficult," shared Nicholas.

Since the Well 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 Nicholas’ 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!"

Community members collect water from the well.

"Clean water brings peace. We no longer worry about sicknesses, dirty clothes, or missing meals because of a lack of water. We can wash, cook, and clean comfortably. Our children are healthy and have more time to rest or study. There’s joy in knowing your water is safe and reliable," Nicholas said.

The Future is Looking Bright!

A year ago, you made a difference for Nicholas 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 Nicholas 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 fulfill his dreams.

"In the past year, we’ve achieved a lot. We have expanded our vegetable farms and started growing crops like sukuma wiki, and tomatoes, for home use and sale. As a group, we’ve nurtured a tree nursery, planted fruit and shade trees, and started a soap-making project that is now earning us income. Our hygiene standards have improved because water is no longer a luxury. We are also saving more time, which has allowed us to participate in group activities like table banking and community clean-ups," said Nicholas.

"My dream is to scale up farming and make our village self-sustaining in food. I hope to help more young people start businesses and stay productive here instead of leaving for urban centers. With consistent access to water, I believe these dreams are now possible. Water is the foundation — with it, everything else becomes achievable," he concluded.

Nicholas on his farm.