Nzula is Empowered by Clean Water!

April, 2025

A year ago, your generous donation helped the Kitile Community in Kenya access clean water – creating a life-changing moment for Nzula. Thank you!

Last year, your gift unlocked the potential for a brighter future for Nzula Musyoki. Since then, he and the Kitile Community of 980 residents have had clean, reliable water. Your contribution has made a significant impact. Thank you for making a difference!

"What I really enjoy about fetching water here at the new project is the convenience it brings to our daily lives. The water is so much closer now, and it’s incredibly clean, which makes me feel at ease using it for drinking and cooking. It’s amazing to see how this project has brought people together—fetching water has become more of a social activity where I can catch up with neighbors. Plus, knowing that the water source is sustainable gives me a sense of security for the future."

Before the Sand Dam Installation

Like many in Southeastern Kenya, 49-year-old Nzula is responsible for collecting water to meet daily water needs. Before last year’s water intervention, this task stole his time and negatively affected him.

Community member hauling water home before the sand dam installation.

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 Nzula, in particular, it stole his family's sense of safety.

"Before the sand dam project was built, I faced a lot of challenges with water. We struggled to find enough clean water, especially during the dry seasons. I often had to walk long distances to river Athi to fetch flowing water, and even then, it wasn’t always safe to drink. The water source would pose significant dangers as crocodiles would strike and attack us to [the] point of killing some of us. The condition of the water caused health problems for my family and myself. It was exhausting and stressful, as water scarcity affected almost every part of daily life, from cooking to farming," he said.

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

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!"

"The best thing about living with clean water is the sense of security and well-being it brings. I don’t have to worry about getting sick from something as essential as drinking water, and it’s incredibly empowering to know that I have access to something so vital for my health and daily life. Clean water makes everything smoother—cooking, cleaning, and even enjoying a refreshing glass on a hot day feel like a gift. It’s one of those things that can be easy to take for granted, but I’m deeply grateful for it every day," Nzula shared.

We asked Nzula if he was still worried about his and his family's safety since the sand dam was implemented. He said, "Honestly, not as much as before. The situation has changed so much—it feels like a different world. Before, every trip to fetch water was a gamble. Now, with the sand dam, the water source is closer and feels much more secure. The journey is shorter, and I don’t have to spend hours trekking or worrying about the kids fetching water alone. It’s not just about the convenience—it’s about peace of mind. Knowing that the water is reliable and close by has lifted such a heavy burden."

The Future is Looking Bright!

A year ago, you made a difference for Nzula and the rest of his 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 Nzula a crucial tool for achieving his dreams: access to clean water. Together, we can excitedly expect that with this precious resource, his enthusiasm and courage will help fulfill dreams.

"Since the project was completed, I managed to start a small farm where I have planted spinach, papaws, bananas and nappier grass for my livestock. The project has been central in my venture in farming as before, the land was dusty and dry; hence, I relied on perennial rains, making it almost difficult to start any farming. I dream of having a large farm and employ a lot of people. Just to see my farm thrive in lush greenery would soothe my heart."

Navigating through intense dry spells, performing preventative maintenance, conducting quality repairs when needed and continuing to assist community leaders to manage water points are all normal parts of keeping projects sustainable. The Water Promise community supports ongoing sustainability programs that help Kitile Community 3A maintain access to safe, reliable water.

We’d love for you to join this world-changing group committed to sustainability.

The most impactful way to continue your support of Kitile Community 3A – and hundreds of other places just like this – is by joining our community of monthly givers.

Your monthly giving will help provide clean water, every month... keeping The Water Promise.

Project Status



Project Type: Sand Dam

Regional Program: Southeastern Kenya WaSH Program

Impact: 980 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - May 2024

Functionality Status:  Functional

Last Checkup: 02/11/2025

Project Features


Click icons to learn about each feature.



Community Profile

The community of Kitile in the semi-arid region of southeastern Kenya has a large population of 980 people, all of whom need water. Currently, people must trek to the Athi River over dusty roads under the intense sun to collect water each day.

"It takes four hours for a community member to go to the river and get back," said our field officer, Jefferson Mutie.

As a result, people are exhausted and have little energy or time for anything else.

"At dawn, women prepare to leave for River Athi going to fetch water. The walk is such a stretch that after making one trip, it's not easy for a community member to walk for more trips. Many duties are left attended to due to limited time and distance," said Jefferson.

 

"I get very tired whenever I visit the river. If we get another sand [dam] and rains come, I am very sure the long trek will be a closed chapter, and I will resume my normal life once again," said 12-year-old Mutheu M.

There are a couple of sand dams and wells far away, but four different communities rely on them for water, so there is never enough water to meet the demands.

"Sometimes, when it gets very dry here, the shallow wells get flocked, forcing half of the population to look for water in the river Athi. If we get another sand [dam] in the area, we will be able to harvest more water for the community to use and also reduce the distance covered by members," said 68-year-old farmer Tabitha Mule, shown below collecting water at the river.

Although the river has plenty of water, collecting it comes with serious risks. The water is contaminated, and when people drink it, they are exposed to waterborne illnesses. Also, dangerous crocodiles and hippos live near the river. These predators make each water-fetching experience a harrowing one, as they have both injured and killed people in the past.

"[Another sand dam] will reduce the sicknesses reported, especially for community members who don't have easy access to clean water," Tabitha continued. "Implementing another sand dam will ensure a larger percentage of the community has access to clean water for drinking, cleaning, cooking, and agricultural activities, hence improving our income security."

Having a sand dam and well near this community will help keep people from walking so long to get water. Having water close by and readily available should improve the community's water security as well as their food and income security.

"Plenty of water in the community is an assurance of brighter days ahead for the community members feeling to be in dark days," concluded Jefferson.

What We Can Do:

Our main entry point into the community is the Self-Help Group, which comprises households working together to address water and food scarcity in their region. These members will be our hands and feet in constructing water projects and spreading the message of good hygiene and sanitation to everyone.

Sand Dam

After the community picked the ideal spot, our technical team went in and proved the viability by finding a good foundation of bedrock. Now, our engineers are busy drawing up the blueprints.

We are unified with this community to address the water shortage. As more sand dams are built, the environment will continue to transform. As the sand dams mature and build up more sand, the water tables will rise. Along with this sand dam, a hand-dug well will be installed to give community members an easy, safe way to access that water.

Building this sand dam and the well in this community will help bring clean water closer to the many people living here.

Training

These community members currently do their best to practice good hygiene and sanitation, but their severe lack of water has significantly hindered reaching their fullest potential.

We will hold hygiene and sanitation training sessions with the Self-Help Group and other community members to teach essential hygiene practices and daily habits to establish at the personal, household, and community level. This training will help to ensure that participants have the knowledge they need to make the most out of their new water point as soon as the water is flowing.

One of the most important topics we plan to cover is handling, storage, and water treatment. Having a clean water source will be extremely helpful, but it is useless if water gets contaminated when it is consumed. We will also emphasize the importance of handwashing.

The community and we firmly believe that all of these components will work together to improve living standards here, which will help to unlock the potential for these community members to live better, healthier lives.

We typically work with self-help groups for 3 to 5 years on multiple water projects. We will conduct follow-up visits and refresher training during this period and remain in contact with the group after all of the projects are completed to support their efforts to improve sanitation and hygiene.

Project Updates


May, 2024: Kitile Community Sand Dam Complete!

Kitile, Kenya now has access to a new water source thanks to your donation! We constructed a new sand dam on the riverbed, which will build up sand to raise the water table and naturally filter water over time. We also built a new hand-dug well with a hand pump adjacent to the sand dam, providing the community with a safer method to draw drinking water supplied by the dam.

"I hope that the new sand dam will alleviate water scarcity by capturing and storing rainwater during the wet season. We shall use this stored water for drinking, irrigation, and livestock watering during dry periods, reducing dependence on unreliable water sources. This sand dam will serve as a reliable source of water, even during prolonged dry spells. By providing a consistent water supply, the dam will help community members withstand the impacts of drought and minimize the need for emergency aid," said Maureen Mwaniki.

Maureen.

"Access to water will ensure better health outcomes for me and their family. With improved health, we will have vigor and vitality to pursue our dreams, without the burden of waterborne diseases or malnutrition," Maureen continued.

Sand Dam Construction Process

The members of the Botela Self-Help Group collected all of the local materials, like rocks and sand, required to complete the dam. The collection of raw materials takes longer than the actual construction, lasting up to four months for a large sand dam. The group also dedicated their time and energy to support our artisans with physical labor throughout the project.

Community members help with the construction.

First, our team drew siting and technical designs and presented them to the Water Resources Management Authority. We also sent a survey to the National Environment Management Authority for approval before we began construction.

Once the plans were approved, we established firm bedrock at the base of the sand dam wall. In the absence of good bedrock, we excavate to a depth at which the ground is compact enough to stop seepage.

Next, we mixed and heaped mortar (a mixture of sand, cement, and water) into the foundation, followed by rocks once there was enough mortar. We then used barbed wire and rebar to reinforce the mixture.

Once the foundation was complete, we built a timber skeleton to hold the sludge and rocks above ground level. Once our first layer dried, we repeated the process until reaching a sufficient height, width, and length.

Finally, we dismantled the vertical timber beams and left the dam to cure. This dam measures 37 meters long and 3 meters high and took 800 bags of cement to build.

As soon as it rains, the dam will build up sand and store water. With this water, the surrounding landscape will become lush and fertile, and the well will provide drinking water to the community. It could take up to three years of rain for this sand dam to reach maximum capacity because in this region, sometimes it only rains once a year!

New Knowledge

Our trainer conferred with the field staff about previous household visits and interviews with community members to determine which topics the community could improve upon.

As we’ve worked with this Self-Help Group in the past, we conferred with them about the subjects they most needed refresher training on.

Participants learned how to make liquid soap and latrine disinfectant, as cleaning products, including soaps and detergents, play a crucial role in our daily lives. The group made 20 liters of soap and 20 liters of latrine disinfectant. Now that they have learned these new skills and have experience, they can put their knowledge to use, generating income for the community's well-being.

We trained the group on various skills, including bookkeeping, financial management, project management, group dynamics, and governance. We also conducted hygiene and sanitation training to teach skills like soap- and detergent-making and improve behaviors such as handwashing.

We also touched on health problems in the community, good and bad hygiene behaviors, the spread and prevention of disease, and sanitation improvements. We covered natural resource management and the operations and maintenance of the well.

"Participants demonstrated active involvement in the training session by asking questions, sharing personal experiences, and actively participating in group discussions and activities. They showed a genuine interest in learning new information and acquiring practical skills related to hygiene practices," said Field Officer Jefferson Mutie.

"I have loved this training more and thanks [to] our partner in enabling us to learn more and remind ourselves more on hygiene. I feel I should empower my whole community, starting with my very own family. Thanks for the noble training offered to us," said farmer and elected chairman of the water user committee, 49-year-old Onesmus Muia.

Conclusion

This project required a substantial collaboration between our staff, our in-country teams, and the community members. When an issue arises concerning the well, the group members are equipped with the necessary skills to rectify the problem and ensure it works appropriately. However, if the issue is beyond their capabilities, they can contact their local field officers to assist them.

Also, we will continue to offer them unmatchable support as a part of our monitoring and maintenance program. We walk with each community, problem-solving together when they face challenges with functionality, seasonality, or water quality. Together, all these components help us strive for enduring access to reliable, clean, and safe water for this community.

With your contribution, one more piece has been added to a large puzzle of water projects. In Kenya, Uganda, and Sierra Leone, we’re working toward complete coverage. That means reliable, maintained water sources within a 30-minute round trip for each community, household, school, and health center.




April, 2024: Kitile Community Sand Dam Underway!

The lack of adequate water in Kitile Community costs people time, energy, and health every single day. Clean water scarcity contributes to community instability and diminishes individuals’ personal progress.

But thanks to your recent generosity, things will soon improve here. We are now working to install a reliable water point and improve hygiene standards. We look forward to sharing inspiring news in the near future!




Project Photos



Contributors

PKS The Harvest
12 individual donor(s)