Yang’at, a CWS partner organization, constructed a sand dam in Chepkechir in 2005. Before the dam was built, women, children and animals living in Chepkechir walked long distances to find water sources. Because the water was so far away, only small amounts could be carried home for families to use. With a limited amount of water, community members were unable to practice hygiene behaviors necessary for good health.
After the construction of the dam, sufficient water is now available to the community for bathing, hand washing, cooking, and animal husbandry. As a result of having water close by, women have time to engage in new economic activities that improve the livelihoods of their families. In addition, through a CWS partnership with KALA (Kenya Adult Learners Association), a literacy course is now taught in Chepkechir. The close proximity of water provides time for attending classes to a community with a 2% literacy rate.
Jenifer and Lona
Jenifer is one of the young mothers who benefits greatly from the sand dam. She, along with other women in the community, helped construct the concrete barrier. Because of the women’s hard work, the dam was completed in just two months.
“We are so happy about the dam! Before, the adults would go for days without bathing. Now we can use a whole 5 liters to bathe. The water is so close we can keep chicken and do laundry. Also, if people travel by and ask for water, now we can give them a drink and be generous. ”
Jenifer summed up the impact of the water
project when she stated to CWS: “To you this project may seem simple, but to us it has changed the way we do things – radically!”
Another new opportunity in Jenifer’s life is the recent addition of the literacy class in her community. By attending the class, held under a tree, Jenifer learned to count to 20 and to perform basic mathematics. The ability to add and subtract enables the adults in Chepkechir to assess whether they are making a profit in the market.
“I now know if I have 5 cows and a hyena eats one cow, how many are left,” Jenifer said with a smile. “When I was growing up, education was far away, but now it is near. Now I know what I was missing.”
Jenifer's Classroom
Jenifer’s education not only improves her life, but also affects her children’s learning. “I can ask my children what they did in school,” she explained, “and I am able to make sure they are actually going.”
Because of the changes she has experienced in her own life, Jenifer hopes that more people will have time for and access to a literacy class, so they too can learn.