Help Bring Clean Water to Mfangano Island

Greetings!
From Lake Victoria in Western Kenya! My name is Liz and I've had the great pleasure of doing some traveling over the past 2 years, connecting with incredible people and experiencing new cultures. I'm currently staying with a family on Mfangano Island through Workaway and volunteering to help support the Sagrema Foundation. Sagrema is a registered community-based nonprofit organization with a mission of strengthening the community of Wakinga and surrounding areas by focusing on educational infrastructure, improved access to healthcare, youth and women's empowerment, and environmental initiatives .

Read more about Sagrema here!

https://sagremafoundation.wixsite.com/communityempowerment

 

The Objective-

This fundraising effort specifically aims to provide clean water to the people of Mfangano Island for drinking and to be pumped to a sustainable community garden. As Sagrema's passionate founder, Samuel Odoyo, frequently says, "Water is life." Having indoor plumbing and clean drinking water is a privilege that many of us don't think twice about, but the citizens of Mfangano Island face many obstacles and hardships due to a lack of these basic necessities.

 

Instead of raising money solely to buy basic needs for children and families (which is also needed and gratefully accepted), this project aims to empower individuals by putting a system in place which will allow them to support themselves in a more sustainable, long-term way.

The ultimate goal is to obtain a solar-powered water pump, a filtration system, pipes, and new fencing to construct an organic community garden serving over 20 households. Due to low levels of rainfall and the lack of running water, local agriculture efforts require the difficult task of manually collecting and carrying heavy buckets of water uphill from the lake. Additionally, without adequate fencing, most crops are eaten by the many grazing animals nearby. This garden will allow families to easily harvest their own maize, beans, cassava, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes, and potentially make a profit from any surplus.

 

Who Will Benefit-

This island situated on Lake Victoria is home to a rapidly increasing population of people who depend on the lake for fishing, bathing, washing clothes and dishes, and in many cases for drinking. The water has become highly contaminated with raw sewage, toxic industrial waste, parasites, and microplastics, making it very common to contract serious waterborne illnesses. Easy access to quality medical care is virtually non-existent and poverty is at the root of many other challenging issues here, including a lack of food and basic needs for many. Some families scarcely have any regular income at all.

Despite these difficulties, there is a strong sense of unity and support between people. The community is so closely knit that neighbors really know and love each other. I've witnessed tremendous joy and laughter shared in simple, everyday moments. The cool breeze, breathtaking views, easy pace of life, and beautiful people make it an unforgettable location.

 

How Contributions Will Be Used-

With your donations, Sagrema can purchase the necessary equipment to effectively provide clean water to more people in the community. The foundation carefully documents the purchasing, installation, and usage of the materials and I will add photos and updates to this page so that donors can follow the progress of the project.

 

The pricing for these resources is as follows:

Thank you in advance for even a small donation to support for this resilient, big-hearted community of people! Even a 5 or 10 dollar contribution will bring them closer to the goal of healthier, happier, more sustainable living.  Please help out additionally by sharing this post with others.
Peace!