Selina Gains Confidence, Thanks to Clean Water!

Last year, your gift unlocked the potential for a brighter future for Selina. Since then, she and the Futsi Fuvili Community of 245 residents have had clean, reliable water. Your contribution has made a significant impact. Thank you for making a difference!

"Having water is like adding life to [what] God creates. Water makes everything in the world to live a healthy life and through this [I] am able to enjoy the availability of clean safe water. This has enabled me to get out of worrying and have [the] confidence of fetching water anytime I want." - Selina.

Before the Spring's Protection

Like many children in Kenya, 14-year-old Selina is responsible for collecting water to meet her and her family’s daily water needs. Before the water intervention last year, that task stole her time and negatively affected her health.

The overcrowded spring before its protection.

Drinking the water caused severe consequences. Many in her community suffered from waterborne diseases that created health problems, affecting their daily lives. The spring's limited accessibility also meant people wasted time trying to collect sufficient water to meet their needs. The difficult journey to collect water sapped their physical and emotional energy, creating roadblocks and sometimes preventing them from earning a livable income. This negatively impacted their ability to care for their families. For Selina, in particular, it lessened her opportunity to pursue an education.

"Last year and other years behind I faced many challenges related to water, the distance to me was very far. I could queue a lot while waiting to collect water and at the same time, [the] water was not clean after even several collections by people. The terrain was also not safe for me, it forced me to wear closed shoes," shared Selina.

"Collecting water here was really a challenge to me, especially during [the] rainy season [when] you could carry a filtering funnel and a jug to collect. The terrain was really in a bad state; it forced me to work very carefully to avoid getting injured. [So] much time was being wasted back then," she continued.

Since the Spring's 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 Selina’s future. By supporting the water solution, you made clean water an everyday reality for her, fostering hope for a brighter future.

Selina.

Reliable and clean water lays the groundwork for improved health, education, and economic possibilities, allowing people like Selina to thrive. We frequently hear from those we interview that "water is life!"

"I really like and enjoy fetching water here because of [the] availability of [a] pipe which makes it easier and faster, [with] no overcrowding. The collection area is clean, [with] easy access due to enough space and stairs," she continued.

When asked how her health has improved, Selina shared, "I can feel some great changes. No more coughing like I used to. [My] body weight has also added, with no stomach problems and this has enabled me to attend my normal school duties without missing."

"Academically, I can see some slight improvement. I get enough time [to] attend the group discussion on time. I have gained confidence in conducting group discussions which I couldn't do, and discuss some technical questions which at some time, I was selected to represent my school in [the] science congress," she continued.

The Future is Looking Bright!

A year ago, you made a difference for Selina 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 Selina 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.

"Personally [I] am focusing and dreaming of becoming a teacher, through this I will be in a position to nurture other children and become a person of great change in our community," concluded Selina.

Selina and other community members in the spring.