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Providing Clean Drinking Water For All

WebFX completed several FXBuilds projects furthering the mission to provide clean drinking water for all. In conjunction with The Water Project, we’ve built sand dams, repaired drinking wells, and protected springs across Africa.

Four children in school uniforms cheerfully holding up cups as if making a toast, with two in skirts and two in pants, all smiling and enjoying a group activity.

Since 2016, we have partnered with The Water Project to provide clean drinking water to communities across Africa.

Three Communities in Kenya Three Communities in Kenya
Kithumba Community Kithumba Community
Thona Community Thona Community
Nthonzweni Community Nthonzweni Community
Nthonzweni Community Mukikanda Community
2016

What kind of impact will we make?

1 Create Sand Dams
2 Raise $24,000 for Clean Water Solutions
3 Kavehere Spring Protection Project
4 Rainwater Catchment Project

Wells in Kenya

In early 2016, our team voted to partner with The Water Project for our third #FXBuilds goal. By December of the same year, we reached our $24,000 FXBuilds donation goal, which will make an estimated impact of helping ~1200 people over 5 years.

Communities are all different and have diverse needs, and The Water Project meets them with new wells, well rehabilitations, protected springs, rainwater harvesting and sand dams. Our FXBuilds donation to The Water Project has assisted in the construction of three of these projects in communities throughout Kenya, providing safe water resources.

Our contribution helped create safe water solutions in three communities throughout Kenya.

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kavehere spring protection project

Kavehere Spring Protection Project

The Water Project’s work with Kavehere Spring benefited the local community in several ways.

  • 1

    Thanks to construction efforts from professional artisans, community members, and others willing to lend a hand, the spring is now protected from contamination.

  • 2

    Five sanitation platforms (safe concrete latrine floors) have been provided for the community. This simple design has made such an impact that it is now being adopted by other neighboring communities since it is easy to construct, install and use.

  • 3

    The project enabled community members to adopt safer hygienic practices, as well as improve general sanitation.

The community is excited about the improvements, committed to the care of their water source, and have taken steps to ensure that they are maintained. The access to clean and safe water will reduce cases of waterborne and water related diseases, and improve the overall health and safety of the community.

St. Michael Emakwale Secondary School Project

This project has allowed for several improvements in the access of safe water by the St. Michael Emakwale Secondary School.

  • 1

    A new rainwater catchment system has been built, including a 50,000 liter catchment tank! The community provided several materials used in the construction of the project, as well as assisting with the assembly of proper drainage.

  • 2

    Construction of two triple-door latrines, (5-6 new latrines in all) allowing for shorter bathroom lines during class breaks, and better overall cleanliness of the facility.

  • 3

    Training for the “Student Health Club” on proper hand-washing and sanitation practices. By empowering these students with the knowledge of safe practices, they will be able to be a great resource of sanitation for their classmates.

Since the initiation of this water and sanitation project, student enrollment has increased from 501 to 535! With safe water and clean sanitation facilities, this growing student body can focus on their education. In 2016, the mean GPA for the school was 3.41. In 2017, the mean GPA so far is 5.1 – a 50% improvement. Enrollment is also up 45 percent over the past year.

st michael emakwale secondary school project
cheptulu primary school rainwater catchment project

Cheptulu Primary School Rainwater Catchment Project

Similar to the endeavors at the St. Michael Emakwale Secondary School, The Water Project built a 30,000 liter rainwater catchment system and new latrines for the Cheptulu Primary School. They also educated students on the importance of sanitation, and installed several hand-washing stations, along with 6 new latrines. Students, teachers and community members are now able to draw safe water from a trusted resource, instead of relying on the unprotected spring that was previously their main source of water.

Because of the Water Project, Cheptulu Primary School is currently on track to being the number one school in the country, based on mean score enrollment, which is up 90 percent over the past year.

The head teacher at the school shared that “Completion of the projects in my school has put a smile on my face. I am certain that our school will be removed from the list of schools who failed to comply with water safety and quality standards from Vihiga County Public Health team records. Now, our school will be certified again as having complied with water safety and quality standards. Our school no longer face the threat of closure.”

About The Water Project

Why did we choose to work with The Water Project? Simple. Access to clean water helps to improve education, hunger, health, and poverty in communities throughout sub-Saharan Africa. The statistics are disheartening, as millions of people suffer from lack of access to clean water — burdening them with sickness and poverty.

The Water Project is an amazing organization that helps raise money to help these communities have access to clean water to help improve those communities as a whole.

Not only does clean water improve health, but it also improves agriculture, hygiene, and countless other areas of life.

The Water Project helps communities in Kenya, Sierra Leone, and other locations in the sub-Sahara. The best part is, anyone can donate at any time!

2018

What kind of impact will we make?

Our partnership with The Water Project allowed us to provide naturally filtered water to the Kithumba community and teach them about water treatment and hygiene.

1 Raise $30,000 to Build Sand Dam
2 Teach Community About Safe Water Practices

Building a Sand Dam in the Kithumba Community

With each sand dam lasting 50+ years, they provide an invaluable resource to the community. Not only do they provide a source of clean water, but they also provide food security and income generation. Most importantly, the sanitary water provided by the sand dams help to keep the community’s people healthy.

The sand dam was constructed on a riverbed, which allows for the build up of sand — raising the water table and natrually filtering water.

What makes the sand dam even more beneficial to this community? It brings water closer to homes, so that community members, including children, don’t have to travel extensive distances just to get clean drinking water. Not only that, but the clean water will help with agriculture, which will further help the community thrive.

Our donation helped to provide a new source of water for the Kithumba community by way of sand dam. It’s a system that will give the local community access to naturally filtered water.

building a sand dam in the kithumba community
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Taking advantage of clean water by teaching hygiene

Lack of hygiene is cause for many illnesses and diseases in areas like the Kithumba Community. With the sand dam that we were able to help build, community members also had a crash course in water treatment and how to avoid water contamination at every step of the water collection process.

Not only that, but community members learned how to make soap, which is a huge benefit to the community — helping aid in good hygiene and health. They were provided clean water, a basin and a stirring rod, along with soap-making ingredients — enough to make 60 liters of soap!

2020

What kind of impact will we make?

Our partnership with The Water Project allowed us to provide naturally filtered water to the Thona community.

1 Naturally Filter Water for Community
2 Raise $27,000 to Build Sand Dam

Building a Sand Dam in the Thona Community

Sand dams last 50+ years, so they provide an invaluable resource to the community. Not only do they provide a source of clean water, but they also provide food security and the generation of income. Most importantly, the health of the people in the community is dependent on clean water, and sand dams provide it. Not to mention, the project also encourages local leadership, community engagement, agricultural assistance, hygiene and sanitation training, and monitoring and resolution.

The sand dam was constructed on a riverbed, which allows for the build up of sand — raising the water table and naturally filtering water.

Finally, the Thona sand dam brings water closer to homes, so that community members — including children — don’t have to travel extensive distances just to get clean drinking water. Not only that, but the clean water will help with agriculture, which will further help the community thrive. “This new water project is like a dream come true. It will bring water close to my family and me. Having easy access to clean water all the time will be good for us as it will lead to improved living standards and improved levels of hygiene and sanitation, especially at times like now during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Wanza Ndemmbei.

building a sand dam in the thona community
2021

What kind of impact will we make?

1 Build a Sand Dam
2 Provide a Hand-Dug Well to Make Water Access Easy
3 Train Community in Good Hygiene and Sanitation

Building a Sand Dam in the Nthonzweni Community

The Nthonzweni Community is home to nearly 1,300 people, and water becomes difficult to come by in the dry season. Since the area doesn’t receive much rainfall, the people of the community are forced to travel long distances to collect water — which is often contaminated.

When water is contaminated, not only does it affect the ability to stay hydrated, but it also deeply affects hygiene and sanitation within the home.

That’s why we also provide training to teach the community how to practice good hygiene and safe sanitation practices.

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2022

What kind of impact will we make?

1 Build a Sand Dam
2 Provide a Hand-Dug Well to Make Water Access Easy
3 Train Community in Good Hygiene and Sanitation

Building a Sand Dam in the Mukikanda Community

Similar to other communities we’ve worked with through the Water Project, this community has a hard time getting fresh, clean water to keep their households running. Some community members wake up as early as 4 in the morning to get to water sources – just to be able to stay hydrated through the day.

Even when water is collected, it is often contaminated — making it difficult for community members to operate due to sickness.

Our sponsorship allowed us to build sand dams in the community to provide more fresh drinking water, as well as train the community on good hygiene.

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Thank you,
FXBuilds!

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