Water Matters

The latest on our work and those supporting it



At Metah Spring, Dreams of Clean Water Run in the Family


Friday, June 5th, 2020by Shannon Esrich

Please note, all photos in this report were taken before social distancing recommendations went into effect. Pause. Think. When is the next time you will get clean water? Perhaps a cold drink from the sink, the refrigerator, or the water cooler – will it be within the next hour? For many, accessing clean water is […]

 

Promoting healthy behaviors in Sierra Leone’s markets


Friday, May 29th, 2020by Tom Murphy

Before the first case of COVID-19 arrived in Sierra Leone, our teams mobilized to train the communities that use wells we support on the virus and how to prevent its spread. After reaching each water point community, we moved on to other critical areas in communities. One crucial area is the markets where people go […]

 

Upholding a promise of reliable water during a pandemic


Friday, May 22nd, 2020by Tom Murphy

At The Water Project, we spend a lot of our time ensuring that every water point provides safe water today. More than 1,500 water points are visited up to 4 times a year to ensure that they function properly. That information is made public for anyone to see. If someone supported a well in Sierra […]

 

This is how COVID-19 is impacting families in Kenya


Friday, May 15th, 2020by Tom Murphy

In this extraordinary time, we continue to partner with communities across Kenya, Sierra Leone, and Uganda. We are checking in to see how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting people and their families. The Water Project is considered an essential organization due to our longstanding work on hygiene and sanitation. We expanded our work in response […]

 

COVID-19 brings many challenges, but reliable water is not one


Friday, May 8th, 2020by Tom Murphy

The spread of COVID-19 in Kenya has brought new challenges to 70-year-old Wathi Muisyo. “My family has been affected greatly by Coronavirus. Kenyan citizens were advised to stay at home due to the virus,” she told us recently. “All the market days were closed down; as a result, we are unable to sell our farm […]

 

For Eugene, Spring Protection Was Personal


Friday, May 1st, 2020by Shannon Esrich

Please note, all photos in this story were taken before social distancing recommendations went into effect. Eugene remembers Edward Sabwa Spring from “before”. It had always served many people in his home village of Kisasi, Kenya, – up to 200 community members at present – but it had never been clean. The unprotected spring was […]

 

Changing Doubt Into Belief: Why Our Commitment To Clean Water Matters


Friday, April 24th, 2020by Shannon Esrich

Please note, all photos in this story were taken before physical distancing recommendations went into effect. Mr. David Murumbi lives in Shivembe in Western Kenya, where he is the landowner of Murumbi Spring. Mr. Murumbi has lived in Shivembe for the past 48 years – since he was born – and has drunk water from his […]

 

In Kenya, Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Are Essential Services During COVID-19 Pandemic


Friday, April 17th, 2020by Shannon Esrich

Daily access to safe and reliable water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH) facilities are vital to building healthy and resilient communities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, WaSH services are more essential than ever to help prevent and mitigate the spread of the Novel Coronavirus. It is for that reason that the Kenyan government has deemed our work […]

 

How we are prepared for COVID-19 in Sierra Leone


Thursday, April 9th, 2020by Tom Murphy

Sierra Leone has just 7 cases of COVID-19, but our teams have already taken a series of proactive steps to support communities as they prevent the spread of the virus and ensure that our wells are reliable and safe. Before the first reported case in the country, our teams visited each of our wells to […]

 

Goodbye Closure Notice, Hello Education: How Water and Latrines Keep Schools Open


Friday, April 3rd, 2020by Shannon Esrich

In Kenya, many schools are constantly on the lookout for the dreaded closure notice from the Ministry of Public Health due to the schools’ challenges with water, sanitation, or hygiene – and sometimes all three. Kipchorwa Primary School in Western Kenya was no exception. Its 400+ students were relying on dirty stream water for drinking, […]