Who are the Faces of the Water Crisis?

Our Faces of Water highlights individuals within Well Aware’s partner communities directly impacted by clean water. Each Well Aware project is unique due to each community we work with having different hopes and goals for the future; Their voices are our top priority. For anyone who has met or has had the pleasure of knowing someone from East Africa, it is commonly known that they are extremely welcoming and loving people, sharing anything that they can with you and bringing you into their home in an instant. We have the privilege of meeting so many inspiring people throughout our projects, and we often get to spend time with them to hear their stories and get insight on who they are as individuals.

Each person we meet that is impacted by our clean water projects reminds us every day how important our mission is. Because behind the commonly used words ‘partner community’, there are mothers, fathers, teachers, children, jewelry makers, grandparents, farmers, and friends. We are honored to introduce you to a few of them.

Joy

Joy, age 12, is a student in Kaliini, Kenya who loves science and has dreamt of becoming a surgeon her whole life. Before she had access to clean water, she constantly worried about being able to receive an education, considering she and her family had to move frequently based on access to water. Even when they weren’t moving, she and her brother collected water twice a day and often missed school because of it.

When Kaliini received a new water system, Joy’s life was changed forever. With access to clean water, Joy can entirely focus on her goal of becoming a surgeon and her family can finally plant their roots in the community!

“Water is life.”

Dennis

Dennis attends Tututha Primary School, Kenya, where he appreciates his hardworking teachers and enjoys learning science. Previously, Dennis and his family collected contaminated water from the river 2 kilometers away. This water often made them sick, but it was the only source available. But now, with the new rainwater system at his school, Dennis is looking forward to having reliable clean water that will make a big impact.

“It will reduce diseases such as waterborne diseases. It will provide good health and make our classrooms clean.”

Veronica

Veronica used to walk 16 kilometers each day just to collect enough water for her family to drink. She says there used to be conflict over water between households in Salaita, Kenya, especially in times of drought. Since the implementation of their new borehole, we are happy to report that the community is much more peaceful. Because Veronica is saving time by no longer collecting water for her family, she is now able to have a steady job delivering water to families in her community.

Peter

Peter is a farmer who has lived in Muruku, Kenya his whole life. He loves that the community members are peaceful, hardworking, and cooperative. He believes that one of the most pressing issues before their new water system was food insecurity due to a lack of crops.

Peter used to travel to a stream for domestic water use and didn’t have enough left over for his crops. Now that there is clean water near his home, Peter can spend more time on his farm, focusing on the income for his family.

“The new water system allows me to have better time management. I am more productive and my farm is having better results.”

Dipapa

Dipapa takes care of livestock in Salaita, Kenya and is grateful for the water project because he no longer has to herd his animals to far places in times of drought. He also appreciates that people in his community spend less time looking for water. With the new water system, Dipapa is interested in learning more about hygiene, water treatment, and sanitation, and now he has the time to do so! He’s looking forward to spending more time enjoying his days and spending time with his family and other community members.

“Access to water allows people to have time for social events.”

Sharing these stories and introducing the individuals that Well Aware’s water projects have impacted, candidly exhibits the Ripple Effects of having access to reliable, clean water. Clean water goes beyond its physical health benefits. It also brings stability, growth, and security to communities. Diseases plummet, education increases, gender equality improves, agriculture and commerce grow, and reinvestment in the community increases.

Clean water becomes a long-term anchor for community prosperity — catalyzing prosperity for individuals, entire communities, and future generations. To learn more about Our Faces of Water, visit the Faces of Water page.