Women in Kenya Striving for Healthier Communities

This week was my first week in Kenya and what a week. This past Friday, we ventured out to a community (which the drive itself is like going on a safari with many sightings of wild animals). Many women in the community are participating in WASHariki health club which is a water, sanitation and hygiene program. We were invited to sit in on one of these health club meetings.

Looking around at all the women it is not hard to recognize that the majority of them are mothers. Mothers are the ones to introduce healthy changes in their families and teach their children healthy habits. Many of the women participating in this club are Christians, and how amazing was it to see the Holy Spirit at work among these women. A group of women determined to make their family and their community healthier. Mothers determined to create a better future for their families.

Getting the community this far took some time. It took a couple of years of visiting and spending time in the village and building relationships before beginning the health clubs. (This was done with other Kenyans building relationships and this occurred faster than if a foreigner had come in to try and accomplish the same thing). The WASHariki health club started last August and families were provided with filters from Aqua Clara this last April. The filters provide clean drinking water to the household. And how amazing it was to see that these water filters are being used and valued but the people in the community.

The experience in this village was such an encouragement and ignited more excitement inside me for all that this summer is to bring.