Maasai woman fills jerry can as others visit and wait their turns Photo: Linda Carter/CWS

"Asante sana!" - Thank you very much in Swahili. This is the message to each of you from the people in Kenya who are benefiting from Church World Service projects.

Last November, I witnessed the work CWS and our partners are doing in Kenya and met the people we are helping. Their deep gratitude was overwhelming. They shook our hands and welcomed us; we shook their hands as they thanked us profusely. From women in the slums of Nairobi who have started their own small businesses to orphaned children now able to keep their families together. From students who don’t want to leave their safe schools at the end of the day to entire communities that now have clean water, the message is “Thank you”. Your gifts make these projects possible.

We traveled north of Nairobi then left the main road and bumped along for what seemed like an eternity. The dust penetrated everything, even with the windows up. It boiled in under the doors of our van. We were on our way to see a new borehole well that Church World Service and our partners commissioned on September 16 of this year. Finally, we arrived at the Maasai village. We were greeted warmly and each of us was presented with a unique beaded necklace made by women from the Maasai tribe. Then we were thanked. Abundantly. Repeatedly.

I thought we were at the borehole well; but instead, we were at one of the villages. The borehole was 4 miles farther on "road" that resembled a washed out riverbed. A dusty riverbed. As the bottom of the van scraped along on the rocks, we were prepared to get out and push. Finally, we arrived at the borehole and realized that the women in that Maasai village walk here every day and carry home about 5 gallons of water. It brings new meaning to our CROP Hunger Walk theme, “We Walk Because they Walk”.

What an impressive site. There was a pump house, a water tower with storage tanks, and a cement pad with three spigots. A thirsty elephant broke off two of the faucets the day before our visit, so only one was functional. The borehole well was surrounded by brambles to keep animals away.

Imagine carrying this 5+ gallon water jug for 4 miles. Maasai women do this every day. Photo: Henry Jones, CROP Hunger Walk leader from Fullerton, CA

The woman who is head of the community water committee told us how this new well is changing their lives. How the women no longer have to walk 15 miles each way for unsafe water. Now, they “only” have to walk about 4 miles - and the water is pure. How their health is improving - they no longer worry about contracting typhoid and other diseases due to unclean water. Since they don’t have to spend all day carrying water, the girls will be able to attend school. And if a girl child is in school, she won’t be required to get married at age 13. She can finish her education.

To provide water for their cattle and goats, the Maasai people hand-dug a trench down the hillside, buried the pipe, and built a cement watering trough. By lifting a lever, they water their herds and the women can wash their clothing in the trough. We saw the pride of the people now able to bathe and do laundry. And with water readily available, the herdsmen will no longer have to migrate long distances with their cattle.

This is their well - It belongs to the Oloikumkum community. They contributed the seed money, did the planning and work. They dug the trenches. And they maintain it. The community-based trained Water Management Committee makes sure someone knows how to service and maintain the pump, storage tanks, and gravity-fed faucets.

Church World Service works with indigenous partners who are already in the communities. I was impressed with the quality of the programs that are in place. Each of our partners does an astounding amount of work with the resources we entrust to them. And the small Church World Service staff located in Nairobi somehow manages to oversee numerous programs in 10 countries.

Now, multiply this example by thousands to see the effect of your support in nearly 80 countries. These projects are made possible by your gifts directly to Church World Service or through donations to CROP Hunger Walk or the Tools & Blankets Program at your church.

Asante sana - thank you very much!

Linda Carter
Program Assistant
Pacific Northwest Region

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Youth at the 2006 Disciples of Christ Regional Meeting working together to build 79 Health Kits for Church World Service.

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