Families: 65

Water Committee: 4 men and 6 women

The people of Mvumba have called this area home since 1990. For years, the only source of water was the Mvumba River, where families risked their health and safety to collect enough for daily life. Waterborne illnesses were common, and many suffered from diarrhea, visiting the clinic two or three times a month. Children often went to school late, and families competed for every bucket of water, sharing the river with hyenas, monkeys, snakes, and goats.

Fetching water was exhausting. Some women left home at 4 a.m. and didn’t return until 9 a.m., leaving little time to prepare children for school or manage household chores. On a good day, they could only carry one or two buckets, and fights at the river were frequent. Several women endured the heartbreak of family strain, with husbands leaving due to mistrust or doubt caused by the long hours spent collecting water.

Since the arrival of the first clean water well, life in Mvumba has been transformed. The water is described as “sweet” and abundant—some families draw 4, 5, 7, or even 10 buckets a day. The gift of water has brought renewed health, allowing everyone to bathe three times a day and prepare food that tastes better. Children now go to school on time, and families have space to start small businesses and tend gardens.

The Water Committee speaks with pride about protecting this gift. Women no longer fight over water, and household harmony has returned. Families feel hope, peace, and renewed confidence in their future. “It is a dream come true,” they say, “the first cup of clean water is just the beginning.”