Rose’s Story of Heartbreak to Health
This spring, we’ve been highlighting the story of transformation in the community of Mutulani, Kenya. When the 3,300 residents of Mutulani received access to safe, clean water, they experienced social and spiritual transformation.
Not only that, but access to safe, clean water also transformed their physical and mental health.
Rose from Mutulani, Kenya, endured a long, hazardous walk for water four times a day.
Rose is a mother of three who lives at the top of a steep mountain in Mutulani. For years, Rose walked more than two hours round trip to collect water for her family.
I would carry a child on the front and a jerrycan on the back.... I went four times a day for water for bathing, cooking, and watering the animals. It would take 30 minutes to fill one jerrycan, and then you have an hour climb back up the hill.
Rose’s journey to collect water was long, arduous, and dangerous.
“Where I went to collect water…neighbors were often bitten by snakes,” she said. “Second, the water is deep in a steep hill, so at night there was a risk of falling. The stream is deep inside a cliff, so you must reach very far down to fetch the water from under a rock and then climb back up the cliff.”
For years, Rose worried about the health of her children due to drinking and bathing in unsafe water.
The weight of this journey took a toll on Rose’s physical health…
“I suffered from physical problems like backaches from carrying the jerrycans every day.”
…her mental health…
“I felt disconnected from the kids because I was spending so much time collecting water, and I had no time for my family. I experienced emotional suffering because I was going and coming and going and coming. I felt like a robot.”
…and the health of her children.
“The water was not safe. The kids suffered a lot of diarrhea.”
Children in Mutulani frequently got sick from consuming unsafe water, but it was their only option.
Water Gives Life—And Takes It
Each year, an estimated 1.4 million people die from preventable causes linked to unsafe water, sanitation, and hygiene. This World Health Day, we aim to share how access to safe water can restore health to entire communities.
I got excited to know that safe water was coming [to Mutulani]…. I don’t want my kids to suffer the way I’ve suffered, especially experiencing the challenges of dirty water. I want a better future for my kids.
Together with community members, Water Mission built a safe water solution in Mutulani that serves 3,300 people, including 500 homes, two schools, and a health clinic.
Since having access to safe water nearby, Rose has seen a dramatic improvement in her physical and mental health, as well as in the health of her three children.
I don’t remember a time I’ve had to bring my kids to the hospital since the project started.
Safe Water Builds Health—And You Can Too
Rose and her children are healthier now that they have safe, clean water 24/7. At Water Mission, our skilled engineers from around the world innovate and implement safe water solutions that are sustainable and lasting.
We don’t just want Rose’s family to be healthy for a little while—we want them to have safe water and health for years to come.
When you give to Water Mission, you help other families experience the same transformation—ensuring that safe water keeps flowing so that people can be healthy on World Health Day and every day.
Give safe water for World Health Day.
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