Water Matters

The latest on our work and those supporting it



Water, sanitation, and hygiene enable healthy lives


Friday, March 20th, 2020by Tom Murphy

Global awareness about the importance of handwashing with soap is on the rise due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For The Water Project, sanitation and hygiene training have always been a crucial part of our work – from building latrines in schools to teaching communities about the proper steps of handwashing. Water, sanitation, and hygiene are […]

 

How a commitment to reliable water turned around Mukunyuku RC Primary School


Friday, March 13th, 2020by Tom Murphy

In the past, Mukunyuku RC Primary School was an undesirable posting for teachers in Western Kenya. In 2017, Kennedy Wesonga was posted to the school as the new head teacher. He was not happy with the assignment. Mr. Wesonga wondered why his promotion from deputy head teacher to head teacher was to a school like […]

 

Women of WaSH: Who We Are


Friday, March 6th, 2020by Shannon Esrich

On this year’s International Women’s Day, we celebrate and salute all of the girls, women, and allies who are working to reach gender equity through access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH). Globally, we know that the water crisis disproportionately affects women and girls. Girls under the age of 15 are twice as likely as boys […]

 

No more stress during the dry season


Friday, February 28th, 2020by Tom Murphy

At a time like this in previous years, Masaani community members would be stressed out due to water scarcity as a result of the lingering drought. In this region of Southeastern Kenya, dry spells are increasingly common due to the effect of climate change on the region. However, in the past year, such concerns have […]

 

Breaking “The Water Curse” One Spring at a Time


Thursday, February 20th, 2020by Shannon Esrich

Before protection, Imbwaga Spring was believed to be cursed water. It was a small, muddy pool of water open to contamination from animals and people in the village of Bumira, Kenya. The 210 people who depend on this spring knew the water was unsafe to drink, but they could not afford to treat it. It […]

 

AIC Mbau Secondary School is thriving, thanks to its rainwater tank


Friday, February 14th, 2020by Tom Murphy

Two years ago, AIC Mbau Secondary School in Southeast Kenya was struggling to raise the money needed to ensure its students had access to water every day. Today, it is spending its resources trying to expand school programs because it no longer has to worry about water. In the past, the school administration at the school […]

 

How a retired police officer led to the drilling of a new well for Transmitter, Sierra Leone


Friday, February 7th, 2020by Tom Murphy

The options for water for the 430 people who live near 14 Port Loko Road in Transmitter, Sierra Leone were not good. The local water point was open to contamination, leaving people at risk of contracting waterborne diseases. The nearest clean water point took more than 30 minutes to reach meaning that people had to […]

 

Sweet (Potato) Rewards: How 1 Woman and 1 Spring are Changing Their Community


Wednesday, January 29th, 2020by Shannon Esrich

Meet Bilha Matolo. Today, Bilha is radiant because of the changes she has both driven as a leader and witnessed in her community since the protection of Matolo Spring in her village of Luyeshe, Kenya. Bilha is the elected Secretary of her community’s water committee that looks after the spring, which was transformed from an open, […]

 

The Golden Well: Thriving through drought


Tuesday, December 24th, 2019by Tom Murphy

By Lillian Kendi In 2019, the early rainy season failed in Southeast Kenya – leaving communities across the region struggling to access water. Here, we highlight a community that had access to water throughout the year despite the drought. The Water Project is committed to partnering with communities to enact solutions to the water crisis […]

 

Sierra Leone: Water everyday, and drilling wells in wells


Monday, December 9th, 2019by Tom Murphy

Making sure there isn’t an end date on impact. Innovation comes from knowing and continually facing the truth of challenges. In Sierra Leone, we drill wells inside of wells to increase water yield. Imagine if your water company considered your family to have water simply because pipes were installed in your home years ago. Or, […]