Lavine Now Has Time to Study and Dream of the Future!

Last year, your gift unlocked the potential for a brighter future for Lavine. Since then, she and the St. Jude Shikoti Girls Boarding Primary School, which has 619 students and staff, have had access to clean, reliable water. Your contribution has made a significant impact. Thank you for making a difference!

"Fetching water here is easy because it is fast and it is within [the] school. No more interruption of classes or game time. We have a schedule of fetching water that works well for us."

Before the Well Installation

Like many girls in Kenya, 12-year-old Lavine is responsible for collecting water to meet her daily water needs. Before last year’s water intervention, this task consumed her time and had a negative impact on her.

Previously, students had to leave school and collect water from the community.

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 Lavine, in particular, it lessened her opportunity to prioritize her time and energy for learning.

"Before the borehole was drilled, I used to have difficulty getting clean water for personal use, such as laundry and basic hygiene. There was overcrowding and competition for the little water that was there. Sometimes, I had to wait for a long time before fetching water. It was so frustrating," said Lavine.

"For boarders, it was a routine that after classes we had to go off school grounds to get water for use. Sometimes, if we were lucky, it was at the well at the nearby church, but this source was mostly non-functional. Most of the time, it was deep in the communities from different springs, we had to cross dangerous roads and people's homes to get water. Every time it was a frightening experience," she continued.

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 Lavine’s future. By supporting the water solution, you made clean water an everyday reality, fostering hope for a brighter future.

Students 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!"

"Since the project was implemented, I have never been sent home because [I] am unwell. This water does not make us sick, unlike the other water sources we used. We can now drink water after lunch because we have a lot of water here," said Lavine.

Lavine.

"Clean water makes it easy to drink water anytime, we can clean our classes all the time, and we have better health because of clean water. I am doing my best in class. We now have time after lunch to revise, and it has helped me a lot, especially in Mathematics and English," she continued.

The Future is Looking Bright!

A year ago, you made a difference for Lavine 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 Lavine 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 Lavine fulfill her dreams.

"I am not worried at all. This is because the water is in our school, and we do not have to go outside to get water, and no one is restricting us from using it," Lavine celebrated.

Now that Lavine has access to water whenever she needs it, she has the time and energy to dream about the future. If she continues to use her time wisely for learning, she is sure to accomplish a great deal.

"I want to be a teacher when I get older. It is my dream to build and run a school someday," concluded Lavine.

Lavine waters the school garden.