Reaching new heights in 2022

In just the first 6 months, 2022 has already been an incredibly important and impactful year for Well Aware and our partner communities. So far, we have worked on more water projects than ever before in this timeframe, our Shower Strike campaign was the most successful one yet, we scaled our groundbreaking app to more communities, and we have been recognized by several outstanding organizations for our innovative approach to clean water aid.

Awards and Features

• Fast Company’s 2022 World Changing Ideas: Well Aware was recognized in the Developing World Technology category and the Water category for the Well Beyond App.
• 2022 Classy Award in Social Innovation: Hosted by Classy, these awards honor today’s most innovative nonprofit organizations and is one of the largest social impact awards in the country. Well Aware was chosen as one of the most impactful programs of the year from over 1,700 applications.
• Woman’s Way Business Award: Presented by the Austin Woman Magazine, our Founder, Sarah Evans, was recognized as the 2022 Social Impact Winner.
• Top 100 Innovators and Entrepreneurs: Our founder, Sarah Evans, was recognized for her work with Well Aware and Well Beyond, presented by The Top 100 Magazine.

These awards recognize how hard our team has been at work in the field and for our dedication to the water crisis. Keep reading to see what Well Aware has been doing in 2022 to receive such prestigious awards.

Project Progress

In 2021, we worked on 38 clean water projects total, including new ones and expansions or updates of existing systems. This was a huge milestone for us, especially since we were getting back into full swing after the pandemic. But the work we did last year set us in motion to propel us into 2022. So far in 2022, we have worked on 34 clean water projects, and we are only halfway through the year! Let’s take a look into one of the communities we have been working with very closely this year…

Atot, Kenya

Approximately 2,000 people live in Atot, and they have been collecting water from the only source nearby – a river with no bridge, so the cars and animals are regularly passing through it, and waste from a slaughterhouse upstream floats by. As you might imagine, disease rates are very high, and development is stagnant. There are no schools and no education for the children. Women spend their days walking to retrieve the water and then trying to ration it as best they can. And, the children are malnourished because of the lack of food and water.

This is where Well Aware comes in. We had visited their community early this year and had planned to implement a new water system in March, but because of a conflicting tribe traveling through the community, the leaders of Atot asked us not to come because of the potential danger. We have been in contact with the community since and we are excited to be heading back this summer to give these 600 people access to clean water and access to a life of growth.

While we have worked on 34 projects so far in 2022, 8 of those are new water projects that have already been completed! That’s big growth already since last year – in 2021, we completed a total of 11 new water projects. Halfway through the year and we are on a good track to accomplish our goal of completing 25 new projects in 2022.

Now let’s take a look into one of the communities where we have completed a new project for this year…

Musul Ranch, Kenya

This month, we implemented a rainwater catchment and purification system implemented at Musul Ranch Primary School in Laikipia County, Kenya, where 400 students attend! The majority of the community was collecting water from a handmade dam that is 7 km away and shared with livestock, resulting in a lot of waterborne illnesses. After much investigation, Well Aware determined this community is not in an area with reliable underground water access for a new well drill. Instead, our technical team determined a rainwater catchment and UV purification system on the school grounds would provide the most yield for the community. With this new access to clean water, we are excited to see education rates and student population increase, further amplifying the impact of this project for many students to come.

Meet Mashipai from Musul Ranch!

Mashipai is 15 years old and wants to be a nurse one day. Before her community had access to clean water, she would walk 3 days a week to fetch water for her family causing her to miss school. She is excited for clean water to be in her community because she’ll be able to attend school every day.

“Water means everything. Without it we can’t survive.”

Read more about Mashipai on our Faces of Water page.

Scaling Mobile Water Project Maintenance

Our groundbreaking technology, the Well Beyond App, for water system maintenance has now been deployed in 60 East African communities! Our team has been hard at work in the field bringing this important tool to more people this year. Locals have been able to use the maintenance & diagnostics features in the app to help troubleshoot issues, conduct impact measurement, and extend the overall life of Well Aware water systems. But, the app doesn’t just help empower community members in managing their water projects. It has also been used to train communities in WASH (water,sanitation, and hygiene) practices, water committee management, feminine hygiene, and menstrual health. With so much success with the Well Beyond App already in 2022, we are excited to continue to deploy this tool to help strengthen our partner communities.

Looking Ahead

Writing about our progress through the first half of the year, excites us for what the rest of the year will bring. We couldn’t do this work without the tireless support of you, our donors, and the dedication of our team. And, we’re grateful for organizations like Fast Company and Classy that believe in our mission. We are looking forward to changing even more lives with you through the end of 2022.