Mama Hope assists communities in central  Kenya to develop sustainable systems that provide access to clean, potable water. In this central, desert region of Kenya, water is literally life. Students often miss out on school to walk miles to and from remote water sources and thousands of people suffer from debilitating, but easily preventable water borne illnesses.

Central Kenya is plagued by not only a shortage of water due to arid land with sparse rainfall but by a lack of money for water infrastructure like wells, pumps, canals, reservoirs and irrigation systems.

The water crisis:

• More than one child in sub-Saharan Africa dies every minute from diarrheal disease, a direct result of inadequate water supply, sanitation, and hygiene.
• Only 57 percent of the rural population has access to an improved drinking water source.
• Rural African households spend more than 25% of their time fetching water.  This time-intensive burden generally falls upon women and girls and often prevents women from taking up income generating activities and girls from attending school.

Arimet Water Project
In Arimet, a small dessert community, Mama Hope partnered with the community to build a water project that serves 5,000+ people. Mama Hope donations were used to complete a borehole project that was previously abandoned due to lack of funding.  This solar powered borehole has been connected to pipes that bring water to the school, medical dispensary, police station and the church.

Having this clean water source in the community, near homes, has reduced the time spent and the burden of women and girls fetching water, often carrying 40lb jerry cans more than six miles away by foot. When women are removed from the water delivery cycle they have the opportunity to fully participate in local economies and girls have the chance to attend school and contribute immeasurably to their community’s economic and social fabric. As part of a more comprehensive solution, Arimet has requested to build a drip-irrigation fed garden so they can grow vegetables and access new markets year round.