Linet Dreams of Dairy Farming to Support Her Family!

August, 2025

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

Last year, your gift unlocked the potential for a brighter future for Linet. Since then, she and the Wambani Community of 250 residents have had clean, reliable water. Your contribution has made a significant impact. Thank you for making a difference!

"What I like most about fetching water here now is how easy and safe it has become."

Before the Spring Protection

Like many women in Kenya, 42-year-old Linet Barasa is responsible for collecting water to meet her daily needs. Before last year’s water intervention, this task stole her time and negatively affected her.

Linet collects water from the spring before its 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 Linet, in particular, it lessened her opportunity to collect sufficient water and remain healthy.

"Last year, before this project was built, we had many problems with water. The biggest one was that the water was dirty and unsafe; sometimes it had a bad smell, or we would see insects and dirt in it. Many people, especially children, would fall sick with stomach problems. The only available water source was contaminated, [and] we often feared for our health, especially the children, because we knew it wasn’t safe," recalled Linet.

"The spring was in a steep, slippery area, and it was dangerous to climb down, especially when it rained. Fetching water was very tiring, and sometimes we had to wait a long time because the flow was so slow. It was a daily burden for our families," she continued.

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 Linet’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 spring is protected, so the water is clean, and we no longer worry about getting sick. It’s also in a much safer spot with proper access, so even children and older people can fetch water without fear. I don’t have to spend as much time or energy as I used to. It has made life so much better for all of us," continued Linet.

"The best thing about living with clean water is how it has made everything easier and safer. I save so much time now, and my children can go to school without falling sick all the time. We can keep our home and ourselves clean, and even food preparation is safer. It has improved our whole way of life, not just our health."

The Future is Looking Bright!

A year ago, you made a difference for Linet 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 Linet 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.

Linet.

Linet reflected on the last year since the water project was implemented. "Since this project was implemented, my health and my family's health have really improved. We no longer suffer from frequent stomach illnesses or typhoid like before. The clean water has made a big difference. Now I have more energy and time because I don't spend hours fetching water or caring for sick children. I can now give my animals water to drink with ease. I can also perform my day-to-day house chores without worrying that there is no water. Life is more peaceful and productive now."

Linet boasted, "In the past year, having reliable water has helped me achieve a lot. One of the biggest things is that I’ve been able to keep cows for milk. Before, it was hard to take care of animals because water was so scarce and difficult to fetch. Now, with clean and accessible water, I can give the cows enough to drink, keep their area clean, and even grow some fodder. This has helped me earn a bit of income from selling milk, and it supports my family."

"My dream is to expand my dairy farming and maybe one day open a small business selling milk and homemade products like ghee or yoghurt. I also want my children to grow up in good health and go as far as they can in school. Having clean, reliable water is making these dreams more realistic. It has taken away so many struggles, and now I can focus on building a better future for my family," Linet concluded.


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 Wambani Community 2 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 Wambani Community 2 – 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: 250 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - Aug 2024

Functionality Status:  Functional

Last Checkup: 06/05/2025

Project Features


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In the community of Wambani, the 250 community members spend their time worrying about meeting their daily water needs and struggling to keep their families safe. Their unprotected spring is polluted, overcrowded, and dangerous to access.

Field Officer Olivia Bomji shared, "The spring is crowded most of the time, and because everyone wants to fetch water on time, women quarrel and fight because of queuing (waiting) for hours to fetch water. [They are] using a smaller improvised pipe [to access the spring's eye]. Solving conflicts that result from the fights is too much, and the community members believe that protecting the spring will bring all the differences and conflicts to an end."

Conflict within the community creates tension and stress for everyone. These worsen when adults and children get sick from drinking contaminated water.

Farmer and mother Linet Barasa (pictured below) shared how the water crisis breaks her heart daily. "As a mother, it's sad to see my children coughing all the time. My son has been coughing for a while now because of drinking water directly from the unprotected spring. I bought cough syrup from the chemist, and after a week of using the syrup, he started to cough again. I pray that when the spring [is] protected, my son will be healthy and free from coughing all the time. I will also have time to do other things and not worry about my son's health."

Parents of this community worry for their children's health when they drink unsafe water. But water-related illnesses aren't the only risk to their health.

12-year-old Mary K., shown below, said, "Fetching and carrying water from the spring is not easy at all; stepping on dirty water while fetching sucks. I fell down while carrying water a week ago, and my school uniform was soaked with dirt. I was unable to go back to school because I had no extra clean uniform to change [into]. I missed lessons that afternoon. I hope and pray that one day the spring will be protected, and I will be able to fetch and carry water comfortably without fear of falling."

Parents and children alike fear the unprotected spring where conflict is rampant and collecting water is dangerous.

Protecting the Wambani Community Spring will help initiate the much-needed changes in this community. With safe water to drink, parents will no longer worry about their children's health and spending money on medication for water-related illnesses. The community members won't have to fight due to long lines. Giving members of the Wambani Community access to safe, accessible water allows them to focus their time and energy on building brighter futures.

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: Wambani Community Spring Protection Complete!

Wambani 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 the availability of clean and reliable water, I would like to see a significant improvement in health outcomes for both my family and myself. This water point demonstrates that we no longer need to rely on polluted sources. Overall, the danger of contracting waterborne infections will be minimized, supporting greater health," shared 42-year-old Linet Khevali.

Linet.

"Their lives will be impacted by this new water point. Therefore, as a result of having access to enough clean and safe water, my kids will often take showers or baths and brush their teeth twice a day. By making sure they look and feel their best, these practices not only support physical health but also increase confidence and self-esteem in them," Linet continued.

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

14-year-old Purity has big expectations for her life! She shared, "Accessible water will improve my academic performance since it will let me devote more time to my studies. I will be able to go to school on a regular basis without having to worry about missing lessons because of illness or work involving water. This in turn will allow me to get [a] top-notch education and create a better future for myself."

Purity.

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.

Community members gathering materials to protect the spring.

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.

Excavation.

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.

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.

Plastering the walls.

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.

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.

Backfilling the reservoir.

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.

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.

"When the community members were granted access to the water point, they demonstrated their immense excitement and celebration by singing, dancing, and yelling. The children were spotted playing by the water point, splashing and laughing, symbolizing their newfound ease in life. Certainly, the community members were relieved," shared Field Officer Joel Shitindo.

Children celebrating clean water.

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, Field Officers Joel Shitindo and Mitchell Ijaza deployed to the site to lead the event. 22 people attended the training, including 18 women and 4 men.

Training begins!

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.

"Through their questions, experiences, and contributions to discussions, the training participants actively participated in the session. The attendees demonstrated an optimistic outlook towards the program, perceiving it as a chance for individual development and empowerment. Recognizing the potential benefits of the training for both themselves and people around them, they embraced it with enthusiasm and optimism," shared Joel.

Participants making soap.

"I found soap making to be the most fascinating topic. I say this because I plan to use this ability to grow financially. I'll produce soap and sell it during school holidays to get some pocket money and extra cash for books," Purity said about the training's impact.

Soapmaking.

"My perceptions of the cleanliness practices in my community have changed as a result of this training because I now understand how diseases spread and how basic hygiene habits can assist [and] ward against illness. Knowing how viruses spread and how to protect yourself gives me the ability to take preventative measures to be well and stay healthy," she concluded.

Conclusion

This project required a substantial collaboration between our staff, our in-country teams, and the community members. When an issue arises concerning the spring, the water user committee is equipped with the necessary skills to rectify the problem and ensure the water point works appropriately and there is guaranteed public access in the future. 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. With this in mind, search through our upcoming projects to see which community you can help next!

Thank you for making all of this possible!




June, 2024: Wambani Community Spring Protection Underway!

The lack of adequate water in Wambani 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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