Clean water for the community

Project Overview

Since 2002, Sheepcare Community Centre has been committed to improving the wellbeing of vulnerable children and families in Nairobi’s Soweto informal settlement. Through the Milele Purified Water initiative, we provide safe, affordable, and easily accessible drinking water, reduce waterborne diseases, and empower families economically.

During this reporting period, the project strengthened water production, distribution, and community engagement, ensuring more families and institutions have reliable access to clean water.

Progress and Achievements

• Water Production & Distribution: Our purification plant produces over 5,000 liters of clean water daily, serving more than 380 households and local institutions.

• Improved Access Points: A new water distribution point reduced the distance residents walk for clean water from 1 km to under 300 meters.

• School Support: Over 460 children in our primary and secondary schools now have safe drinking water daily, reducing absenteeism due to water-related illnesses.

• Community Awareness: Hygiene and water-safety training for women and youth groups emphasized handwashing, safe water storage, and environmental cleanliness

• Standard Certification: we managed to get Kenya Bureau of Standsrds Certification for our water  that will make us to access the market hence be able to support the feeding programme

• Solar Pumping System: Phase one was completed, reducing reliance on electricity. We are fundraising to complete phase two ($9,500) to lower operational costs further.

Challenges

• Rising operational costs, including electricity and maintenance

• Occasional mechanical breakdowns of pumps, generators, and piping, In January we had a major breakdown on our pump which costed us $642 to repair and resume operations

• Growing community demand exceeding current capacity which calls for additional water points to meet the rising demand

We are actively exploring partnerships and additional funding to expand production and complete the solar system upgrade.

Impact at a Glance

• 5,400+ liters of purified water produced daily

• 380+ households and institutions served

• 460+ children with safe drinking water in schools

• 3 community water points operational

• 1 solar pumping system phase completed, reducing electricity reliance

Impact Story

Mary, a mother of three, shared:

"Before Sheepcare supplied Milele Purified Water, my children often fell sick from dirty water. Now, I fetch clean water near my home, and my family has been healthy. Thank you for this change."

Stories like Mary’s show how access to clean water directly improves health, education, and quality of life.

Next Steps

• Install an additional storage tank to increase supply

• Complete the second phase of the solar pumping system which requires $9500

• Strengthen partnerships with schools and health centers for wider reach

• Continue community training on water hygiene and sanitation

• Get Kenya Revenue Authority Certification for our Purified water which will require $750 so that we can now begin selling to the market and competing favourbly with other water providers. This will help us raise more resources to support the scholarship and feeding programmes

Acknowledgment

We sincerely thank our donors, partners, and supporters on GlobalGiving. Your contributions are transforming lives, one drop at a time, and building a healthier, more hopeful future for the Sheepcare community.

With gratitude,
Joshua Omondi Ochieng
Projects Manager
Sheepcare Community Centre

Links:

• Our Website