amalemba, kenya
COMPLETE
STATUS
people impacted
dollars funded
funded April 29, 2021
This project is located at the largest church in the area, and they are leaders within the community, offering discipleship trainings at a central location. The church is off the main road in the community. The church has a cistern that can be filled with water from a water delivery truck. It would cost $120USD to fill for three days if the church were to host a community event.
Currently, community members, especially women and children, as it is their cultural role, must go to a contaminated stream for their water needs.
Access to safe water within the community will lessen time and poverty for women and children. Recapturing time for education and family needs. The women and children carry heavy buckets of water on their heads causing physical issues with their necks and backs, even to the point of often deforming their necks as very young children start to collect water for the families. The pathway to the river is steep and unsafe and Women and children have injured themselves when collecting water.
The water source carries waterborne illness such as cholera and Typhoid. Historically, when access to safe water is brought into a community, we see a dramatic health changes in all ages. Clinics report a huge decrease in the number of diarrheal cases caused from waterborne illnesses found in contaminated water sources. The death rate of children under the age of 5 drops as well, as they are the most vulnerable and die due to diarrhea turning into dehydration deaths. Families have time to garden, farm and sell produce at the local market when not having to walk long distance to collect water for daily use.
Throughout this project, out staff provide spiritual discipleship through Bibles storying workshops, and pastoral training sessions. Community development takes place as well. During this time, we offer envisioning workshops to help the community see how they would look as a healthy community. What does that mean both physically and spiritually? How could they together achieve this goal through next step actions. All incorporated with biblical application.
COMPLETED MARCH 30, 2022
ABOUT THE COMMUNITY
Located in the fast-growing Amalemba community of western Kenya, Grace Foundation Church is a home away from home for its congregation. Residents spend hours at the church for weddings, church services, or fellowshipping together. Its cinder block walls welcome the community’s 950 residents who come to hear the good news of Christ. However, the church’s borehole collapsed, causing church-goers to be left without a water source. Having no other water source, the congregation walked over a mile round
trip to collect water from a nearby stream. The lack of water not only placed a significant physical strain on the women and children collecting water before services but also took a toll on the congregation’s overall health. The stream’s murky water was rife with sickness-inducing bacteria, but community members had nowhere else to turn.
When significant events like weddings or funerals happened at the church, the congregation pooled together money to purchase government-supplied water trucks. The water trucks were expensive, causing the community’s monetary resources to be spread thin. However, community members knew the value of gathering together to celebrate God’s goodness and persevered. Although the congregation was faithful, a lack of safe water at the church deterred outsiders in the community from attending services, placing a
barrier between community members and God. The elders in the church knew that a well on-site would not only benefit their community’s health and save them time but it would also ultimately bring people to salvation.
GRACE FOUNDATION CHURCH SERVES AS A HOME AWAY FROM HOME FOR MANY OF THE RESIDENTS.
ABOUT THE COMMUNITY
Soon, church leaders learned about Living Water Kenya’s work in their region. The church’s head pastor, Zablon Anyula, reached out to explain the church’s situation, requesting an initial evaluation. The Living Water staff was able to visit Amalemba and determined that a water project could be accomplished. The staff announced that the community qualified for a new well and that construction would begin soon.
The team returned with a drill rig and dug 50 meters into the earth until they reached a safe water aquifer, flushed away debris, and shock chlorinated
the reservoir’s water. After they tested the water to ensure it was safe for consumption, the staff installed a spigot and laid a concrete base to drain
excess water hygienically. At last, because of your gift, Ingomar Living Waters, Grace Foundation Church had safe water on-site and could flourish!
THE LIVING WATER STAFF BEGIN THE MESSY PROCESS OF DRILLING A BOREHOLE.
COMMUNITY DETAILS
| TOTAL WATER USERS: | 950 |
| MAIN WATER COLLECTORS: | women and children |
| LOCATIONS: | church |
CONSTRUCTION DETAILS
| PUMP TYPE: | elevated tower |
| PROJECT TYPE: | new simple water system |
| DEPTH OF WELL: | 50 m |
WATER QUALITY TESTS
| PH: | 7 |
| TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS: | 108 ppm |
| HARDNESS: | 152 ppm |
| COLIFORM BACTERIA: | absent |
THE STAFF LAY A CONCRETE BASE TO SEAL THE BOREHOLE.
THE CONSTRUCTION IS COMPLETE!
SUSTAINABILITY
The Living Water staff helped the Amalemba community work to secure a future of safe water access by implementing several sustainability methods. One of these techniques was the appointment of a water committee. The staff guided the community in selecting the members of the committee. The committee will collect a small, agreed-upon fee for water usage. These fees will be
used to cover any replacement parts or repairs the well might need.
Additionally, the staff trained the committee on methods of sustainability. The members of the committee learned how to care for the well on a day-to-day basis. The staff also helped the committee set up a maintenance schedule and operating budget.
Living Water Kenya will stay in contact with the committee to monitor the functionality of the well and support future sustainability efforts.
THESE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH SERVE AS THE CHURCH’S WATER COMMITTEE.
ZABLON, GRACE FOUNDATION CHURCH’S PASTOR, SHARES
ABOUT THE COMMUNITY’S STRUGGLE TO FIND SAFE WATER.
The church used to get its water from a stream that was one kilometer away. The water we collected was not safe for human consumption. The women and children from the church carried water on their heads from the stream, straining their necks. Small children had a hard time helping. Our members also wasted time getting water from the stream. Finally, the path to the river was steep and caused injuries among the women and children collecting water. They often slipped and fell.
MEMBERS OF THE CONGREGATION GATHER TO
PARTICIPATE IN SANITATION AND HYGIENE LESSONS.
SANITATION AND HYGIENE
During their time in Amalemba, the Living Water staff held sanitation and hygiene promotion activities for the residents. These interactive activities were designed to help the congregation understand how to use their new, safe water that you provided to improve their health. Thirteen residents participated in these activities which consisted of lessons on disease transmission, germ-blocking, and proper handwashing technique. The staff explained that handwashing was the primary defense against the spread of diseases like COVID-19. The community members finished the lessons eager to implement all they had learned.
IN JESUS’ NAME
In addition to providing safe water to this community, your gift facilitated an outpouring of God’s living water, depicted in the story of the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4. The Living Water team, in conjunction with Grace Foundation Church’s pastors, held a well dedication service. At this ceremony, 150 community members rejoiced over their new well, dedicating it to God and his Kingdom purposes. Now, the members of the church won’t have to worry about gathering water before services but can freely invite their neighbors and friends to join them.
RESIDENTS PRAY OVER THE NEW WELL AT THE
DEDICATION CEREMONY
YOUR IMPACT
Ingomar Living Water, your generosity has empowered the local church in Amalemba to share the good news of the gospel with their growing community. With safe water at their fingertips, the congregation is able to heal holistically— mind, body, and spirit. No longer will the church’s women and children make dangerous and tiresome treks for unsafe water. Job 11:16-18 (NIV) says, “You will surely forget your trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by. Life will be brighter than noonday, and darkness will become like morning. You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety.” These words reflect the hope of Amalemba residents, brought to them through your gift. Now, whenever they collect water, they will be reminded of God’s divine and faithful hand.
Thank you for giving water, for life, in Jesus’ name!
