We are proud to join the global celebration of World Water Day on March 22nd, a day dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of water and the need for sustainable management of this precious resource. This year’s theme, “Glacier Preservation,” highlights how safe water is increasingly under threat due to climate change. As glaciers melt and floods become more frequent and intense, the availability of clean, reliable water sources is at risk, affecting communities worldwide.
Brighter Communities Worldwide is dedicated to improving access to clean and safe water for communities in Kenya. Right now 55% of households across Kericho county, Kenya have to use dirty water from rivers and ponds. The only way families can get water for drinking, cooking and cleaning is to collect from ponds, streams, rivers that are contaminated by animal waste and water borne diseases such as cholera and typhoid. Babies and children under 5 are especially at risk if they get sick. Girls and women have to walk 6km, at least once every day to collect water. Hours spent on this are at the expense of time at school or work.
Our water projects focus on sustainable solutions, such as protecting natural water springs, access to clean water, water protection schemes, rainwater harvesting systems, water tanks, tippy tappys and more. By working alongside local communities, we aim to ensure long term access to clean water which overall improves health, education, and livelihoods. In 2024, the installation of 19 spring protection projects in communities benefitted 7710 households and 16 schools, with a total population of 23,390 (4060M, 5429F, 6566B, 7211G).
Clean water provides…
Better health – access to clean protected water sources mean a decrease in waterborne diseases. The families who benefit from the our water projects have improved overall health and a reduction in medical expenses.
Better learning – our water projects brings better hygiene to schools. This creates a healthier environment for students and staff, leading to better school attendance and improved learning for the children.
Better productivity – access to clean water means not only do the children of these households do better at school, parents and adults are also more productive because they are more healthy. This provides more opportunity for income generating and raising living standards.
Better for the environment – planting trees at the spring protection sites, strengthens ecosystem stability, prevents soil erosion and improves water retention.
Better social impact on communities –
- Less time spent collecting water is having huges benefits for girls and women as they have more time for education both at school and in the community and also have more scope for leadership roles within the communities.
- Working together as a community making the spring protection fosters stronger local networks and support that leads to other project for example – stove installations, community education workshops etc.
- The learning and experience of managing their own water sources is building long-term resiliene to environmental and economic challenges brought on by climate change.
