Rhoda is Healthy and Her Crops are Thriving!

Last year, your gift unlocked the potential for a brighter future for Rhoda. Since then, she and the Kithalani 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 fresh and [has] improved our health because it does not expose us to infections like typhoid, diarrhea, stomach upsets, or amoeba," she shared.

Before the Dug Well Installation

Like many in Southeastern Kenya, 42-year-old Rhoda Dorcas Mbuthye 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.

Community members collected water in a scoop hole before the well was implemented.

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 Rhoda, in particular, it lessened her opportunity to pursue her other goals and live a healthy life.

"We experienced a lot of water scarcity and had to walk to Tyaa River, which is about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) away, then return back home. I would wake up early in the morning to go and fetch water only to return in the late afternoon. Even our cattle and goats had to walk this long journey, which led to poor yields. We would dig up scoop holes in the river to draw water, but the water was contaminated, which exposed us to water-related infections like typhoid and amoeba. The water would also reduce during the drought period, which led to long queues at the scoop holes," Rhoda shared.

Since the Dug 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 Rhodas' future. By supporting the water solution, you made clean water an everyday reality, fostering hope for a brighter future.

Rhoda at the well.

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!"

"Our health has greatly improved because we are drinking clean water from the shallow well. We are no longer exposed to water-related infections like typhoid or amoeba. We also learned about water treatment, and that knowledge has been crucial in ensuring we are drinking clean water," she exclaimed.

The Future is Looking Bright!

A year ago, you made a difference for Rhoda and the rest of 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 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 Rhoda 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.

"We are planning to plant cash crops and vegetables, which will enable [us] to earn an income. These crops will be easy to nurture because water is nearby and adequate," Rhoda concluded.

Community members nurturing tree saplings.