Clean water turns the tide on poverty

In Kenya, 5-year-old Cheru had to walk nearly two hours a day to collect water leaving little time for school and other activities. Thanks to a pipeline gifted by World Vision supporters, he and his community can now access fresh clean water from a tap near their houses.

However, life changed for Cheru, when World Vision helped her community build a pipeline to bring clean water down from a mountain spring. Cheru now accesses that same cool water as it flows from the tap near her home. “This water tastes good,” she says. With the water kiosk only a few steps away, Cheru’s mother Monica fills jerrycans full of clean water to provide for her children, allowing them to consistently attend Kesot Primary School.

With clean water also available at the three primary schools dotted along the pipeline, many more students like Cheru are attending school – and classes are overflowing. New classrooms are being built to accommodate the influx in attendance. When class begins, Cheru is quick to raise her hand to answer questions, “I love school,” she says.

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Community savings groups empower women into business.

Emma, 43, is a single mother with seven children living in Zambia. Thanks to World Vision supporters, a community savings group was set up in her village which acts like a local bank. Emma was able to borrow funds and start a clothing business, which means her children no longer have to go hungry.

World Vision invited Emma to join a community savings group, where she was initially reluctant because she had no money. Encouraged by World Vision, Emma joined having to save just 5 Kwacha (AU$0.56) per month, it was not long until Emma was feeling empowered. Now Emma says, “The saving’s group renewed hope and opportunity and my health improved. My family now live a better life.”

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Goats lead family out of poverty

When the drought of 2018 hit Zambia, Peter and his family lost almost all their crops. They had no money for food or school fees. Thanks to the goats gifted by World Vision supporters, Peter has managed to lift his family out of poverty and is passing on the blessings to others in his community.

From four goats, Peter and his wife Dorcas now have 25 goats. Through World Vision training, they learned how to rear the goats and turn it into a sustainable business. As the goats multiplied, Peter sold them to other families who could start their own goat farming business. In return, Peter was able to access the funds to start a business of selling pesticides and invest in savings groups for their children’s future.

"Owning goats is like having a bank where you can go in at any time to withdraw money when you have a need," said Dorcas. The goat manure has helped to improve crop yield and Peter is now cultivating a much larger piece of land – all because of four little goats.

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Climate education creates planet guardians

When Prakash was 14, he participated in a World Vision climate education program supported by World Vision donors and gift buyers. He learnt about the importance of trees and was given three saplings to grow. Now Prakash is 19, and the three saplings have become full grown trees, alongside an abundance of other trees which supply the community with shade and fresh fruit.

“We learnt that we should be guardians of trees and plant more [trees],” he said. “I realised how cutting down trees leads to an imbalance in the ecosystem, which leads to drought, food security issues, environmental change, pollution and a lack of water.”

Now Prakash is 19, and the three saplings have become full grown trees, alongside pomegranate, lemons, cotton and other trees, which provide the community with shade and fresh fruit.

Prakash’s garden is one of the lushest and greenest areas in a town now ravaged by excessive deforestation. The surrounding area, once full of greenery and water catchment areas is largely barren due to the chopping of trees.

Through the generosity of World Vision supporters, Prakash and his community are learning to protect the land. “Our household no longer cuts trees for firewood because World Vision gave us a biogas unit,” he explained.

Cow dung is used to run the unit, which fuels the kitchen stove. There is no emission of smoke and the biogas waste can be turned into a natural fertiliser to improve soil quality. “The money we spend on purchasing chemical fertilisers has reduced because we are producing our own [fertiliser].”

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