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THE GIFT THAT KEEPS GIVING...Thanks to the—literally—groundbreaking work Water is Life Kenya (WILK) has accomplished since 2007, tens of thousands of Kenyans now have access to clean, sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene in their drought-prone rural communities. Our mission is to spark personal, economic, and community development in marginalized communities in Kenya, according to existing customs and culture, by providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene. We won’t stop until we see a thriving ecosystem in Kenya, built by empowering women and equipping people to develop income by managing their resources.
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The Maasai people of Kenya say: Enkare Enkishui, Water is Life.
Water makes grass grow, nourishes livestock, and sustains all life. It helps all living things bloom. As such, clean drinking water is the first step to a thriving community. At one well alone, by providing access to clean water, we have freed 1,936,000 hours annually for women and girls who no longer have to walk 12 hours a day in search of water. This has opened the door to educational opportunities, improved physical health, and unleashed new economic activities. Learn about What We Do |
The secret to our success
WILK’s success comes through working closely with communities in the same region for nearly 15 years. We are deeply invested in the people and have learned how to best reach and inform a mostly illiterate people on ways they can flourish – economically and personally.
Over the years, we have honed a training methodology that:
• Engages all the senses for dynamic participation
• Respects the people, culture, and long history while introducing new concepts for water and livestock management
• Raises up women in a male-dominated society and gives them skills and confidence for leadership
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Priscilla Ene Shinina's Story
"Water is Life Kenya has taken us far as women. Even our minds are a bit different than before we meet WILK. If I can go to do farming now with knowledge that I got from WILK, it is a big change. If I go to the market to sell livestock, it is a big change that I can sell as the men sell. I can choose a good breed of cows like the men can choose. it is a big step to us as women." |
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Joyce Nderu's Story
"Since I learned how to keep livestock as a business from Water is Life Kenya I learned to control the drought. For example, I cut grass, bean crop residues, maize crop residues and collect acacia seed pods. Then I bought extra parts for my milling machine, which I only use for my cow feed, and mill them together and store it in bags in my home. During the drought season I have food for my cows." |
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To hear more stories visit our Women's Testimonials page.
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You are playing a vital role in transforming entire communities!
Your generosity is vital to making a difference in the lives of the people we serve. “Because of Water is Life Kenya, the lives of 55,000 people have been improved since they now have clean water for drinking, watering livestock, and crop irrigation. Thousands of hours are saved by women and children not needing to walk many miles for water that is often contaminated. Life changing!” WILK Supporter Cynthia Miller Read Our 3 Year Vision Plan |
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Hear Leah's Story about how clean water has changed her life
Life in Esukuta was hard for everyone before WILK showed up on the scene. Women like Leah had to walk miles everyday for water. In the dry season that meant having to dig in the dry river bed to access water. Watch the video to the left to hear her story and learn more about the challenges they faced before they got access to clean water. Read our 2019 Report to the Community Learn about our Clean Water Projects Program |
Livestock as a Business: Promoting Economic Empowerment
In the area we work, nearly 80% of incomes come from livestock keeping. To the Maasai peoples, cattle may be the one thing more important than water.
But without active, informed livestock management, cows can die during the recurring droughts and families can lose their entire wealth. That’s why we created our Livestock as Business (LAB) program. LAB is a multi-year training program in which participants receive a $2,000 loan to invest in cattle, which are later sold for profit. The profits help families break the cycle of poverty and transform lives as they are reinvested in the community.
In the area we work, nearly 80% of incomes come from livestock keeping. To the Maasai peoples, cattle may be the one thing more important than water.
But without active, informed livestock management, cows can die during the recurring droughts and families can lose their entire wealth. That’s why we created our Livestock as Business (LAB) program. LAB is a multi-year training program in which participants receive a $2,000 loan to invest in cattle, which are later sold for profit. The profits help families break the cycle of poverty and transform lives as they are reinvested in the community.
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Since 2011, we have trained 562 people, in 40 peer groups, including 20 groups comprised of women.
Overall, WILK has helped the groups: • Reduce drought-related animal loss by 85% • Increase the value of livestock by 50% • Achieve 40% net profit on cattle sold • Own cattle for the first time – 318 women experienced their first opportunity to own cattle Learn about our Livestock As a Business Program |
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Joyce Tannian and Joseph Larasha joined forces to make a difference.
Fifteen years ago, Joyce and Larasha met on a 120 mile walk for girls and education in Kenya. Both wanted to make a difference. Little did they know that it would be the beginning of something that would impact over 50,000 lives and counting 12 years later. WILK's US team, made up of a small staff and large volunteer base, puts it in a different league to many larger nonprofit organizations (NGOs) and charities. Lean and efficient by design, WILK works with a small local Kenyan team to generate big change from every donor penny. WILK's team is embedded in -- and from -- the communities it serves. Meet our Team |
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Make an impact:
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Volunteer:
Volunteering for WILK is a rewarding, positive, and enjoyable experience. Through WILK I have grown as an individual, contributed to the local community, and in a small way helped to alleviate some of the global issues of water insecurity. -- Kathy Livingstone
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Buy Kenyan Handicrafts:
Buy Fair Trade hand made handicrafts made by Kenya artisans at waterislifebeads.com
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