The Ripple Effect: A Year of Hope and Health for Josephine!

August, 2025

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

Last year, your gift unlocked the potential for a brighter future for Josephine Anyula. Since then, she and the Kabinjari Community of 140 residents have had clean, reliable water. Your contribution has made a significant impact. Thank you for making a difference!

"The best thing about living with clean water is the peace of mind it brings!"

Before the Spring Protection

Like many women in Kenya, 35-year-old farmer Josephine is responsible for collecting water to meet daily water needs. Before last year’s water intervention, this task stole her time and negatively affected her.

The spring before protection.

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 Josephine, in particular, it lessened her opportunity to stay healthy and farm.

"Before the water spring project was built, we were really struggling as a community. The water source we relied on was completely open and unprotected, which made it very easy for it to get contaminated. We often found things like animal waste, leaves, and even garbage in the water. It was not safe at all, and many people, especially children, would fall sick with waterborne diseases like typhoid and diarrhea," said Josephine.

Since the Spring Protection

Your generous gift last year was much more than a simple donation; it was a powerful statement about your commitment to this community and Josephine’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!"

"I no longer worry about my children falling sick after drinking or using the water. That alone is a huge relief for any mother. Clean water has brought good health, and when you're healthy, you can focus on other parts of life without fear. It has also brought dignity. I can bathe regularly, keep my home and clothes clean, and feel confident when I go out. Even visitors who come to my home can see the difference. Before, we used to struggle and sometimes even skip basic hygiene because water was so hard to get. Now everything is different," Josephine remarked.

The Future is Looking Bright!

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

"In the past year, having reliable water has helped me accomplish so much more than I ever thought possible before. One of the biggest achievements is making and selling soap. During the hygiene training, we were taught how to make soap using affordable materials. I started making small batches at home, and with time, I’ve gained a few loyal customers in the neighborhood. It’s brought me some income that I use to support my children with school items and household needs," said Josephine.

"My dreams for the future are simple, but they mean a lot to me. I want to give my children a better life, make sure they finish school, stay healthy, and grow up with more opportunities than I had. I dream of expanding my small soap-making business into something bigger, maybe even starting a small shop one day. And with time, I’d like to improve our home and even build a small rental house to bring in extra income. Access to clean and reliable water will definitely make these dreams easier to achieve. With good health and less time spent fetching water, I can focus more on working, planning, and saving," she shared.

Josephine waters her cattle.

"What I’m most proud of in the past year is how healthy my family has been. My children have stayed in school without falling sick constantly from dirty water. That alone feels like a huge achievement as a mother. I’ve seen their happiness, their energy, and their growth, something I used to worry about all the time before the project. So yes, I’m proud of what I’ve built with the little I have, and it all started with something as basic, but powerful, as clean water," boasted Josephine.


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 Kabinjari Community 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 Kabinjari Community – 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: Protected Spring

Regional Program: Western Kenya WaSH Program

Impact: 140 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - Aug 2024

Functionality Status:  Functional

Last Checkup: 05/08/2025

Project Features


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Community Profile

The 140 community members in Kabinjari that rely on the local spring to meet their daily water needs struggle to collect enough. The pool of water is shallow and not easy to collect from since community members must lay their containers sideways to submerge them under the water level for them to fill.

But collecting the water is not the only challenge. The steep trek to the water source is daunting, especially during the rainy season when the hill becomes slick. There have been frequent reports of injuries from falling which is risky, especially while carrying heavy, full water containers.

"Due to the slippery state of the road, I usually have a hard time when going to fetch water and carrying it back home. The latest case of hurting was last week when I slipped and fell with a jerrycan which fell on my leg, hence injuring me," said 17-year-old Caren A. (seen below)

These challenges, coupled with the risk of consuming contaminated water, mean the community members of Kabinjari expend tremendous effort and time to collect water that will very possibly make them ill in the long run. And this is time, energy, and health they can not afford to lose.

"I usually don’t fetch water, but the last time I went fetching water for drinking, I found children playing at the spring, and the water had really been contaminated. I, therefore, had to clean the area and wait for [the] water to settle down. This has been the trend at this water point, and I request that it may be protected," said 45-year-old mason Silas Maloba.

The installation of stairs and protection for the spring will greatly enhance the safety, convenience, and efficiency of water collection for the residents of Kabinjari. With reduced health risks and more time available, they can strive for a better quality of life.

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

Chlorine Dispensers

Installing chlorine dispensers is an important piece of our spring protection projects. Protecting a spring provides community members with an improved water source, but it doesn’t prevent contamination once the water is collected and stored. For example, if the water is clean and the container is dirty, the water will become contaminated.

We ensure that each chlorine dispenser is filled with diluted chlorine on a consistent schedule so that people can add pre-measured drops to each container of water they collect. That way, community members can feel even more confident in the quality of their water.

Project Updates


August, 2024: Kabinjari Community Spring Protection Complete!

Kabinjari Community now has access to clean water! Thanks to your donation, we transformed their spring into a flowing source of naturally filtered water. We also installed a chlorine dispenser to provide added protection and trained the community on improved sanitation and hygiene practices. Together, these components will unlock the opportunity for community members to live better, healthier lives.

"With access to clean and reliable water, I hope to see a significant improvement in health outcomes for my family and also myself. Clean water is essential for drinking, cooking, and personal hygiene practices like bathing and handwashing. Therefore, this water point will show that there is no need to rely on contaminated sources like we used to. Generally, the risk of getting waterborne diseases will be reduced, thus promoting better health," shared 62-year-old Gladys Musimbi, a local businesswoman.

"Fetching water from the steep and unprotected water spring was incredibly time-consuming and physically demanding. Now that this water point has been constructed, tested, and launched, I hope to reclaim the hours spent walking long distances or waiting in line at the crowded water point. This newfound time will then be redirected towards productive activities such as work, farming, or spending quality time with my family," Gladys continued.

Gladys Musimbi."I have children and also grandchildren. This new waterpoint will make a difference in their lives. Since they have enough clean and safe water, these children will practice personal hygiene habits such as bathing or showering regularly and brushing their teeth twice a day. Practicing these habits not only promotes physical health but also boosts their self-esteem and confidence by ensuring they look and feel their best," she continued.

Children were just as excited as adults about the new water point.

11-year-old David Mcheva shared how clean water access would impact his education. "Reliable water will impact my learning at school since it will allow me to focus more on my studies. I will be able to attend school regularly without worrying about missing classes due to illness or water-related chores, allowing me to receive [a] quality education and build a brighter future."

David at the spring.

Preparing for Spring Protection

Community members worked together to source and carry all locally available construction materials to the spring. These included bricks, sand, stones, and fencing poles. Some people also chiseled away at large rocks to break them into gravel. Because people have to carry most items by hand, the material-collection process can take anywhere from a few weeks to months.

Collecting needed materials for spring protection.

When the community was ready, we sent a truck to deliver the remaining construction materials, including cement, plastic tarps, and hardware. Then, our construction artisan and field officers deployed to the spring to begin work. Individual households provided meals throughout each day to sustain the work team.

From Open Source to Protected Spring: A Step-by-Step Process

First, we cleared and excavated the spring area. Next, we dug a drainage channel below the spring and several runoff diversion channels above and around the spring. These help to divert surface contaminants away.

Excavating the site.

To ensure community members could still access water throughout the construction process, we also dug temporary channels around the construction site from the spring's eye. This allowed water to flow without disrupting community members' tasks or the construction work. Excavation created space for setting the spring's foundation, made of thick plastic, wire mesh, concrete, and waterproof cement.

Laying the foundation.

After establishing the base, we started brickwork to build the headwall, wing walls, and stairs. Once the walls had grown tall enough, we began one of the most crucial steps: setting the discharge pipe. The discharge pipe needs to be positioned low enough in the headwall so the water level never rises above the spring's eye, yet high enough to allow room for the average jerrycan (a 20-liter container) to sit beneath the pipe without making contact, which prevents cross-contamination.

Setting the discharge pipe.

If we place the discharge pipe too high above the spring's eye, back pressure could force water to emerge elsewhere. Too low, and community members would not be able to access the water easily. We embedded the pipe using clay (or mortar when the clay is in short supply) and placed it at an incline to ensure water flows in the right direction.

In coordination with brickwork, we pitched stones on both sides of the spring's drainage channel. We then cemented and plastered each stone, forming the rub walls. These walls discourage people and animals from standing in that area, which could cause soil erosion and a clogged drainage area.

Forming the rub walls.

We then cemented and plastered both sides of the headwall and wing walls. These finishing layers reinforce the brickwork and prevent water in the reservoir from seeping through the walls. In turn, enough pressure builds in the reservoir box to push water out through the discharge pipe.

As the headwall and wing walls cured, we cemented and plastered the stairs and installed four tiles beneath the discharge pipe. The tiles protect the concrete from the falling water's erosive force while beautifying the spring and facilitating easy cleaning of the spring floor.

Setting the tiles.

The final stage of construction is backfilling the reservoir box behind the discharge pipe. We cleared the collection box of any debris that may have fallen during construction. Then we redirected the temporary diversion channels back into the reservoir box, channeling water into this area for the first time. We close all other exits to force water through only the discharge pipe.

Fencing.

We filled the reservoir area with the large, clean stones community members had gathered, arranging them in layers like a well-fitting puzzle. We covered the rocks with thick plastic to minimize potential contamination sources, then piled enough dirt on top to compensate for future settling.

Community members transplanted grass onto the backfilled soil to help prevent erosion. The collection area was fenced to discourage any person or animal from walking on it. Compaction can lead to disturbances in the backfill layers and potentially compromise water quality.

The construction process took about two weeks of work and patience to allow the cement and plaster to finish curing. As soon as the spring was ready, people got the okay from their local field officers to fetch water.

Child enjoying the finished spring!

We officially handed over the spring to mark the community's ownership of the water point. Happiness, thanksgiving, and appreciation were the order of the day, flowing in all directions. (Details, if provided, of any unique details at the handing-over ceremony)

Training on Health, Hygiene, and More

Together with the community, we found their preferred date for training while considering other community calendar events, such as the agricultural season and social events. We requested a representative group of community members to attend training and relay the information learned to the rest of their families and friends.

When the day arrived, facilitator Joel Otuya Shitindo was deployed to the site to lead the event. 13 people attended the training, including seven women and six men.

Training.

We covered several topics, including community participation in the project; leadership and governance; personal, dental, and environmental hygiene; water handling and treatment; spring maintenance; the importance of primary health care and disease prevention; family planning; soapmaking; how to make and use handwashing stations; and the ten steps of handwashing.

During the leadership and governance session, we held an election for the newly formed water user committee leaders, who will oversee the maintenance of the spring. We also brainstormed income-generating activities. Community members can now start a group savings account for any future minor repairs to the spring and a cooperative lending group, enabling them to develop small businesses.

Facilitator Joel described a topic that sparked a lot of engagement from the participants. "The topic that prompted the most discussion or interest from participants was the importance of handwashing. As the discussion continued, participants shared their tips and tricks for encouraging handwashing in various settings, including schools, households, and community gatherings. Some participants talked about the cultural beliefs and traditions surrounding handwashing in their communities, highlighting the importance of understanding and respecting local customs when promoting hygiene practices."

David practices proper handwashing.

David, a participant, shared his favorite topic, "The most interesting topic for me to learn in the hygiene and sanitation training was environmental hygiene. I learned about the importance of keeping my surroundings clean and hygienic, including our home, school, and also our community. I learned to dispose of waste properly, keep shared spaces tidy, and participate in efforts to maintain a clean environment. This will, in turn, foster a sense of responsibility in my surroundings and contribute to a healthier living environment for everyone else."

Thank you for making all of this possible!




July, 2024: Kabinjari Community Spring Protection Underway!

The lack of adequate water in the Kabinjari 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

Project Underwriter - SolenisGives
1 individual donor(s)