June 13, 2019

Water Makes Fathers Stronger

by Peggy Chen

Thought Leadership

It’s almost Father’s Day! This weekend, some of us will honor our fathers, husbands, or sons, while others will spend the day celebrating special people who’ve had a significant fatherly role in their lives. But, have you ever wondered about the lives of fathers on a different side of the world than your own? So, in honor of Father’s Day, Well Aware takes you to the field in Kenya to show you how the lives of fathers and families are transformed through clean water.

Ngunjiri (52) and his family live in Olmoran, Kenya, a small village in Laikipia County. He is a teacher, farmer, and father of seven kids. Water is essential to his livelihood. Without sufficient water, Ngunjiri’s livestock and crops would deteriorate, and he would lose the income needed to care for his family. Each day, he works hard trying to make ends meet.

Ngunjiri has been living in this community since 1987. According to him, the best part of the community is that it is suitable for farming and keeping livestock, but he worries about the lack of water. Previously, the community was struggling with the intense drought. People in Olmoran had to wait in line for hours to retrieve water from the only kiosk they had, which was not enough to supply the whole community. Just like every father, Ngunjiri’s greatest hope is to see his kids healthy and happy. But, lack of reliable clean water made this difficult for him.

Thankfully, issues surrounding water are no longer hindrances to Ngunjiri and his family. In 2017, Well Aware implemented a sustainable water well for the Olmoran community, in partnership with The Nobelity Project. Ngunjiri and his family are now able to access clean water as often as they need it, allowing them to not only survive, but thrive.

Ngunjiri told us that with the new well, he is “very happy.” For him, increased water access not only helps in cleaning, farming and giving students and teachers drinking water at the school, but also provides a great ray of hope for the Laikipia area.

Willis (44) is a father of six who was born and raised in Ratta, Kenya, a small village in Kisumu County in western Kenya. Previously, the community struggled without sustainable clean water. Ever since he can remember, waterborne disease has been a very serious problem in the community and people would often get sick from it.

Willis works hard to support his family and their basic needs. But, their limited access to water has made this difficult for him. Like other families in the community, Willis’s wife and the children used to walk for hours each day to collect unsafe water from a well. Although the contaminated water from the well often made them sick, it was their closest water source and only option for survival.

In 2017, Well Aware implemented a clean water system to eradicate this struggle. The system in Ratta is now serving clean water to the entire community of more than 5,000 people, and this solution is lasting. Today, two years later, Willis and his family are spared from further illness caused by contaminated water. Their lives have transformed. They are happy and healthy.

Willis told us in March 2019: “Water means a lot to me. My life has changed after Well Aware drilled in our community. People in the village stopped getting diseases. The new project made our lives easier and healthier.”

This year, let’s celebrate Father’s Day by giving hope and bright futures to the great dads like Ngunjiri and Willis, and their families. Honor your dad, or a special fatherly figure in your life, by donating here today, and empowering a father across the world.

And, to all the father figures out there – thank you for working hard for a better life for your families. This week, we celebrate all that you do. Happy Father’s Day!