Staff and Patients Enjoy Increased Water Access

Last year, your gift unlocked the potential for a brighter future for Lidya Otando. Since then, she, her fellow healthcare workers, and the patients at Shiyunzu Health Center have had access to clean, reliable water. Your contribution has made a significant impact. Thank you for making a difference!

"The best thing [about] living with clean water is for good health and a healthy community," said Nurse Otando.

Before the Well Installation

Like many healthcare providers in Western Kenya, 56-year-old Charge Nurse Lidya Otando is responsible for collecting water to meet her and her patients' daily water needs. Before last year’s water intervention, this task stole her time and negatively affected her.

Drinking water from the previous water source 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. For Nurse Otando and other staff members, resources were stretched thin, limiting their ability to provide the best health care.

"Before this water project was completed, we were spending a lot of money to purchase water for cleaning and other needs at the facility," recalled Nurse Otando.

Since the Well Installation

Your generous gift last year was more than a simple donation; it was a powerful statement of your commitment to this community's well-being and the future of this healthcare facility and its staff. By supporting the water solution, you made clean water an everyday reality, fostering hope for a brighter future.

Nurse Otando serves a patient medication with water.

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

"The patients' lives have become easier in the past year by accessing clean, treated drinking water from the facility. Apart from drinking, they can also wash [their] hands after visiting the toilets," shared Nurse Otando.

But the patients' lives are not the only ones that have become easier.

"The staff's lives have become easier at the facility because they can access clean water for drinking, cooking, washing, and watering the flowers during the dry season," she shared.

"My health has changed because of taking clean and safe water since the project was implemented. In addition, I no longer buy water to drink when I go to the facility," she celebrated.

The Future is Looking Bright!

A year ago, you made a difference for Nurse Otando and the entire Shiyunzu Health Center and surrounding community. This is just the first chapter of their story as access to clean water continues to improve their lives!

A community member uses the handwashing station.

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 system hardware, monitor water availability, conduct sanitary inspections, and collect water-quality samples to identify risks. We work with our on-the-ground team to resolve them.

You gave Nurse Otando a crucial tool for achieving her dreams: access to clean water. Together, we can be confident that, with this precious resource, her enthusiasm and courage will help her fulfill her dreams.

Cleaning has become easier at the clinic.

"The facility has managed to make liquid soap for handwashing and mopping the floor, reducing money on buying soap. Patient care at the facility has changed by washing our hands before and after handling them (the patients). They can also access clean drinking water, and they wash [their] hands immediately [when] they enter the facility and at the time of leaving," said Nurse Otando.

"In the past year, I have managed to assist an expectant mother at the facility without worrying about water, and we have managed to make soap for use at the facility," she celebrated.