by ChildFund New Zealand
In the heart of Mulala County, the daily journey for water was not only a chore but a task that consumed hours of precious time for families like Lydia and Catherine.
“It took us 3-4 hours to walk from home to the river. We [my daughter and I] would leave as early as 6am” says Lydia, who now has access to clean safe drinking water due to the completion of the water project.
Catherine had the same experience: “Before the water project, we had to spend the whole day at the river, until evening.” The time consumed collecting water wasn’t the only problem, the water collected was contaminated and smelt so foul even Catherine’s goat wouldn’t drink it.
Life before the project
Before the project began, Mulala County faced a harsh reality – over 60% of households relied on unreliable and unsafe water sources, a situation that posed health risks and took freedom away from women and children who had to collect it. School life had the same challenges, with insufficient water for basic needs like cooking, bathing, and cleaning, leading to decreased academic performance and health issues among students.
At Mulala Girls School, which 800 girls attend, the water-related challenges were impossible to ignore. Students struggled to concentrate, faced stress, and battled skin diseases due to sharing contaminated water. The lack of water hindered not only their education, but also their overall well-being, pushing them further away from their academic goals.
“The biggest challenge we faced, we could not get enough water for drinking,” says Annabelle Mutunga, a student at Mulala Girls School.
Community impact
The ChildFund Water Project, implemented by ChildFund International and the Emali Dedicated Childrens Agency with the support of ChildFund New Zealand, has constructed a 13-meter pipeline to bring clean water closer to homes through strategically placed water kiosks and directly piping into 110 households.
Now, the community has access to clean safe drinking water. In schools like Mulala Girls School, this has improved every aspect of their life– students can concentrate better, their health has improved, and academic performance is on the rise. They can even plant and grow trees and seedlings.
Outside of school, the benefits ripple throughout the community. Families no longer spend hours fetching water, allowing children to spend more time in school and at home. Livestock thrive with access to clean water, and households save money previously spent on water bowsers.
What’s next?
The project’s success isn’t just in providing water but also in fostering a vision for the future.
With a commitment to sustainability, the community is empowered to maintain this new access to water.
There’s a clear goal: “Sustainable access to water and sanitation for all by 2030,” says Ward Administrator, Aron Mativo. Access to clean water isn’t just a necessity; it means a brighter future for children and their families. This water project was implemented by Emali Dedicated Childrens Agency (EDCA) and ChildFund Kenya with support from ChildFund New Zealand