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Well Aware provides innovative and sustainable solutions to water scarcity and contamination in East Africa. We fund and implement life-saving water systems to drive economic development and empower communities. Here’s how we did in 2020.
It was many months of more surprises, challenges and heartbreak than I ever thought possible for this organization. Well Aware was not immune to the way the world was rapidly changing around us, and, in an instant, it was clear that it would be a year that looked like no other for our clean water work.
As a small, nimble organization, though, we were able to quickly regroup and create a new trajectory for our work. While we were postponing project implementation, reworking our budgets, applying for PPP, and assembling a plan to maintain team morale and culture, we were also devising a plan for impact for our partner communities in the context of the new and dire circumstances.
Of Well Aware’s wells and water systems work. The industry average is 40%.
Lives transformed to date through clean water projects in East Africa
Clean water projects completed across Kenya, Tanzania, Haiti*, Puerto Rico*, Texas* *disaster relief efforts
Average cost per person for lasting clean water
THE WELL AWARE RIPPLE EFFECT GOES WELL BEYOND THE WATER WELL:diseases plummet, education increases, gender equality increases, agriculture and commerce grow, economic reinvestments in community, and peace, stability and growth in the region increases.
Disease rates DROP by 64%
Education rates INCREASE by 34%
Education rates for girlsINCREASE by 58%
All her life, Kaiseyie has lived in the Salaita community where she now has a husband and kids. Each day, she provides for her family by cooking, fetching firewood, and collecting water. Before we could provide a new water well for Salaita in 2018, Kaiseyie had to walk up to three kilometers to collect water. Drought was a common challenge, and when the water dried up, Kaiseyie and her family could not cook, shower, or wash their clothes. In the community, there was often conflict over the limited water. However, these water worries are now a thing of the past. Kaiseyie and the Salaita community have a lasting source of clean water, and Kaiseye’s personal hopes are for the community to flourish.
She told Well Aware in November 2018:
“Water is the source of livelihood for both humans and animals. In seasons without water, people and cows die. But, the new well will provide enough clean water for domestic use and livestock. I’m happy and grateful. Thank you, God, for touching us and blessing Well Aware to give us water.”
Madam Eunice is the Headteacher at Cheptoroi Primary School. Since Well Aware completed a new well for the school in 2019, education rates have greatly improved.
Eunice told us in August 2020:
“Well Aware has provided us with water for the school and community. Our pupils can now drink clean water while at school. Also, they can use water to keep down dust in our earthen floor as often as possible which keeps off respiratory diseases related to dusty places. As a result, school attendance has improved as well as performance.”
John is a 14-year-old student at the Kaliini Primary School in Kenya who loves to read books and play soccer. Thanks to the generous Well Aware community, we implemented a sustainable clean water system at John’s school in 2017. Now, with access to reliable clean water, John is healthy and can focus more on his goal of becoming a doctor.
In February 2020, when we asked John what water meant to him, he told us: “Water is life.”
Water projects actively worked on in 2020
Investigated 11 new projects for future implementation
Conducted ongoing maintenance on 8 past projects
Continued implementation on 1 project started in 2019
