As the cock crows at dawn in the Kenyan village of Wacharra, Jane Adhiambo wakes up, fetches purified water nearby and checks on her small goat herd. After preparing porridge for her children, she sends them to school carrying purified water to drink throughout the day. Jane and her family are free of cholera, typhus and other water-borne diseases. The children can attend school consistently and Jane earns an income that supports them.
Until Agua Viva installed a water purification system in her community in 2021, however, Jane faced a miserable and impoverished future. As a widow, her community scorned her and considered her a bad omen. Jobs were reserved for men, so Jane was unable to make a living. She had never attended school because, growing up, she was relegated to walking miles each day to collect often-contaminated water.
After the Agua Viva water system was built in her community, Jane was among several widows who found purpose by joining Agua Viva’s health and hygiene education team. Agua Viva also bought Jane’s first goat. She has expanded her herd, and the three goats she now owns supply milk for her family and provide income from the milk she sells to others. Through Agua Viva’s work, Jane has new hope and the promise of a healthy and fulfilling life.
