How far have you walked for some water?

Felista would travel over 13 kilometers in search of clean drinking and cooking water. It was a tiresome task, but with water being a basic need, it was one she had to do everything possible to meet. During dry spells, her family would be forced to use the village water pond, which was often dirty, causing the children to fall sick from water-borne diseases.

Felista is a farmer and a village group trainer. One of her children, Victor, is a sponsored child through World Vision. And it is through World Vision that she heard about the opportunity to have clean water by purchasing a water tank.

She took out a loan with VisionFund Kenya (Ksh. 32,550, US $281) to purchase a 5,000-litre water tank. She has been repaying her loan without difficulties and has only four instalments left to pay.

With this tank, Felista can store rainwater for home use, for her poultry, and livestock use. She also has enough water to irrigate her fruit trees and kitchen garden. As a result of the tank, Felista has seen her family practicing good hygiene, and her children’s’ health has now improved.

Felista’s future plan is to apply for another loan to buy a bigger water tank.

The problem of insufficient drinking water has been a prevalent one in some parts of Kenya, especially in the Eastern part of the country. People still walk several kilometers in search of clean drinking and cooking water. Those who depend on rainwater are sometimes left with dismay when the rainy season passes by with insufficient rainfall.

Felista will champion other members of her community to join VisionFund Kenya and take up WASH products so that they can manage the issue of sanitation and hygiene which is affecting many members of her community.