John Makes Progress in Farming Thanks to Sufficient Water!

August, 2025

Last year, your gift unlocked the potential for a brighter future for John. Since then, he and the Museesu Community of 300 residents have had clean, reliable water. Your contribution has made a significant impact. Thank you for making a difference!

"Fetching water now is easy and takes only a few minutes. The water point is close by. There are no long queues or rush because the shallow well does not dry up even during drought. I can walk there without straining my back, and the water is available [at] any time of day. It has restored dignity to our lives, especially for women and the elderly."

Before the Sand Dam Installation

Like many in Kenya, 43-year-old farmer John Munyoki is responsible for collecting water to meet his daily water needs. Before last year’s water intervention, this task stole his time and negatively affected him.

Collecting water from the previous watersource -- scoop holes in the dry Iguini riverbed.

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.

"Getting water in the past was very difficult because we depended on scoop holes in [the] Iguini River, which is about 4km away. This water was not reliable because it would reduce in quantity as the drought season progressed, leading to long queues at the water point. It was also shared with animals and unprotected, which exposed us to water-related infections, which were costly to treat, given our paltry income," said John.

"Before the project, getting water was a daily burden. We would wake up very early (sometimes as early as 5:00 a.m.) and walk long distances just to reach the scoop holes. If you arrived late, the water would already be used up, and you'd have to wait for more to collect or go back empty-handed. For those of us without donkeys, carrying jerrycans on our backs was painful and exhausting. You could only manage one or two trips a day, and by the time you returned home, half the day was gone. It disrupted everything—from farming to family meals to our children’s education," John continued.

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

The sand dam collects sand and water.

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!"

John collects water from the attached well.

"My health has improved a lot. I keep myself hydrated throughout the day because clean water is nearby, and even meals at home are prepared on time. Now I feel stronger and healthier. Since we started using clean water, stomach illnesses and skin infections have also reduced in my family. I now have the energy and time to focus on activities I used to neglect, like tending to our small farm, caring for our animals, and working in our tree nursery," John said.

"I no longer wake up worried about whether I’ll find water or whether my children will go to school late. Meals are prepared on time, the house is clean, and we can drink water without fear of getting sick. It has made life much more comfortable," he added.

"It takes less than 30 minutes now to fetch water and return home. Before, it used to take several hours just to make one trip. Now, even with multiple trips, my family and I still have time and energy left for other things. That change has made a huge difference in our lives," John concluded.

The Future is Looking Bright!

A year ago, you made a difference for John 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 John 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 John fulfill his dreams.

"We’ve achieved so much. I’ve helped set up a tree nursery with other members of the group, and we’ve planted trees around our farms and homes. Hygiene has improved because we have enough water to wash regularly, clean our latrines, and maintain a healthy environment. The time saved is now spent on farming and livestock care, which is slowly boosting our household income," said John.

"My dream is to expand my farming and earn enough to educate my children and build a better home. I’d like to see our group grow and thrive in the soap-making business. With reliable water, these dreams are possible. Water gives you the stability to plan and work toward a better future."

"I am most proud of how far we’ve come as a community. A year ago, we were exhausted, frustrated, and divided by the struggle for water. Today, we are united, healthier, and more productive. Personally, I’m proud that I can provide for my family without sacrificing their health or my own strength."

John waters tree saplings.

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 Museesu Community A 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 Museesu Community A – 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: 300 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - Aug 2024

Functionality Status:  Functional

Last Checkup: 05/13/2025

Project Features


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Community Profile

Report Submitted by
Alex Koech, Communications Officer

The 300 community members that call Museesu home struggle daily to access sufficient water to meet their needs. Finding and collecting enough water is exhausting, leaving them in pain and overwhelmed.

"During most evenings and weekends, I have to help my mother in fetching water, which is exacting and time-consuming. My leg muscles ache after each journey, and my mother massages them with warm water before I go to sleep. However, I have to walk to school the following day while carrying my 2-liter jerrycan of water, and the pain on my legs re-emerges," said 11-year-old Evalyn M. (seen below).

"I also often develop ringworms because I cannot conduct regular personal hygiene, which reduces my self-esteem and confidence in school and when playing with my friends. Going to the waterpoint by myself also scares me because there are several snakes in the area, and I could easily be bitten by one. I hope to get a nearby source of clean and sufficient water to prevent the aches and easily draw water for use at home," concluded Evalyn, shown collecting water below.

The community members rely on scoop holes in the local riverbed as their primary water source, but they present significant challenges. They are tiring to reach and filled with contaminated and salty water unfit for human consumption.

"The water point is located several (6) kilometers (3.7 miles) away, and fetching water and going back home leaves the residents exhausted and unable to focus fully on their daily activities such as farming. The scoop holes are open and unprotected. The water is contaminated and [salty]. You also can find animals excreting near them. Due to the high level of contamination, residents often contract water-related illnesses such as typhoid, amoeba, and dysentery," shared field officer Alex Koech.

"Despite the daily exhausting journey in search of water, I have to bear with the salty and contaminated water from the scoop holes, which causes stomach upsets and dysentery. I have to part with my little income when seeking treatment," said 49-year-old farmer Anastasia Kabwere, shown below collecting water.

But water-related illnesses are not the only challenge. Like Evalyn, Anastasia quite literally feels the pain of collecting water in her body every day.

"I have developed back aches because I have to carry water on my back each morning. Although the pain cools down after some rest, it reappears the following day. I have to bear with the pain because I have [to] get water for my family. A nearby water point will take my pain away, and I can even save up to purchase a donkey to carry more water," Anastasia continued.

Installing this water source will enable people like Anastasia and Evalyn, who live in Museesu, to focus on improving their daily lives instead of letting the water crisis steal their strength, health, and futures.

Helping to solve the water crisis in this community will take a multi-faceted system. It requires the collaboration of the sand dam and a hand-dug well. They will work together to create a sustainable water source that will serve this community for years to come. 

The Proposed Solution, Determined Together...

At The Water Project, everyone has a part in conversations and solutions. We operate in transparency, believing it benefits everyone. We expect reliability from one another as well as our water solutions. Everyone involved makes this possible through hard work and dedication.

In a joint discovery process, community members determine their most advantageous water solution alongside our technical experts. Read more specifics about this solution on the What We're Building tab of this project page. Then, community members lend their support by collecting needed construction materials (sometimes for months ahead of time!), providing labor alongside our artisans, sheltering and feeding the builders, and supplying additional resources.

Water Access for Everyone

This water project is one piece in a large puzzle. In Kenya, Sierra Leone, and Uganda, we're working toward complete coverage of reliable, maintained water sources that guarantee public access now and in the future within a 30-minute round trip for each community, household, school, and health center. One day, we hope to report that this has been achieved!

Training on Health, Hygiene & More

With the community's input, we've identified topics where training will increase positive health outcomes at personal, household, and community levels. We'll coordinate with them to find the best training date. Some examples of what we train communities on are:

  • Improved hygiene, health, and sanitation habits
  • Safe water handling, storage & treatment
  • Disease prevention and proper handwashing
  • Income-generation
  • Community leadership, governance, & election of a water committee
  • Operation and maintenance of the water point

Project Updates


August, 2024: Museesu Community Sand Dam Complete!

Museesu Community, 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.

 

"This project makes a lot of difference in their lives because they will be fetching water easily from this nearby water point. I will also be spending most of my time with my family while preparing meals for them on time. My children will also be healthy because they will now be drinking clean water," said 24-year-old Tabitha Mwenda, farmer and vice secretary of the water user committee.

Tabitha Mwende.

Sand Dam Construction Process

The members of the Museesu 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.

Bags of cement to construct the dam.

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 36 meters long and 3 meters high and took 840 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 their previous household visits and interviews with community members to determine which topics the community could improve upon.

"The skill of soapmaking has taught us that we can make money easily, but only if we have interest and seriousness in the activity. It will help us generate money and meet family needs," said Annastaciah Mwikali, 51.

Annastaciah.

"This training will be of very great importance in our lives and will bring us change. I have learned a lot in the 3 days. For instance, water treatment, sanitation infrastructures, food hygiene, and having a squat hole cover among other things and practices are very vital in maintaining a healthy life," she continued.

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. Finally, we covered natural resource management and the operation and maintenance of the sand dam.

"This is an enthusiastic group that is keen on improving their lives through water availability. Most of the group members will now be able to conduct farming and proper hygiene practices," shared Field Officer Alex Koech.

Thank you for making all of this possible!




June, 2024: Museesu Community Sand Dam Underway!

The lack of adequate water in Museesu 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!




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Contributors

109 individual donor(s)