In many countries around the world, the first thing women and children must do in the morning is to retrieve their family’s daily water supply. They set out before dawn on a long journey for water. The average trip is 3.7 miles, one way. Then, they have to transport the water back to their home which they do by carrying large jugs containing 5 gallons of water and weighing 40 pounds on their heads. Some women will carry one jug on their head, one on their back and have a baby strapped to their chest.
The WaterBall (pictured above) is a water transport tool that holds 12.5 gallons of water and easily rolls over any terrain. This tool allows for fewer trips to get water because of its increased capacity over the standard jug, and also makes the trips pain free because, while the WaterBall holds more than 100 pounds of water, it is pulled or pushed with little effort.
Our WaterBalls are highly sought after in the communities we serve because they make such a tremendous impact on the lives of the women and children who are tasked with getting water. Recently, some inventive folks in Kenya came up with their own WaterBall design (pictured above) while they waited for ours to arrive. We love their entrepreneurial skills!
The WaterBalls are here! This group of women in Kenya were thrilled to receive 9 WaterBalls from WaterStep Field Consultant Humphrey Muchuma. All of these women are over 60 years of age and the woman on the far left is 96. She is known in her community simply as “mother”. We are so thankful to have been able to provide a tool to make these lovely ladies lives easier.
