This month, we celebrate World Water Day, as well as International Women’s Day. In this issue of WaterStep news, we are focusing on some of our amazing WaterStep women. Doreen Nkirote is a field consultant working in Kenya, primarily with Raphael Wanjala’s team. Doreen was a student in Raphael’s sustainable human development class at Tanzania Catholic University. It was through this class, that Doreen was introduced to WaterStep in 2014. Raphael, Doreen and six other students were responsible for installing WaterStep’s first African water project. An M-100 ChlorineGenerator, our equipment that makes fresh water safe to drink, was installed at a school within the Kibera slum. Kids were able to visit the school and take safe water home to their families. They saw a substantial increase in school attendance because the kids were no longer sick with waterborne illnesses.
Currently, Doreen is working with the Evangelizing Sisters of St. Mary in Kenya’s Kajiado County. The Sisters run a center where women who live in the area slums, struggling to make ends meet, can come for support. Doreen donated WaterStep BleachMakers (training session pictured above) to the center and the Sisters make batches of bleach each day. The women they serve provide a kilo of salt and the U.S. equivalent of .45 cents in exchange for the bleach. They sell the bleach throughout the community which keeps them busy during the day and provides the money needed to put a meal on the table for their families at supper time. There are currently 30 women who have bleach businesses and a safe way to support their families!
Doreen wants to continue her work with WaterStep and dreams of the day Kenya is free of waterborne illness. Doreen said, “The mission continues. We want to save more lives!”
