Clean water and nutritious food are fundamental for thriving communities, yet many still struggle to meet their basic needs. Qabale, a 67-year-old mother of four and breadwinner of her family of eight, faced many challenges due to water scarcity. This meant her family’s livelihood, household income, and health were impacted daily. But hope was renewed when Qabale and the people of the Dololo Dokatu community collaborated with Food for the Hungry (FH). Together, they overcame challenges and found solutions to the area’s many challenges, opening new opportunities for Qabale and her community.
Thanks to the many supporters, partner organizations, and people like you who choose to have their impact multiplied 22x through Match Your Donation, communities like Dololo Dokatu and many more continue to overcome challenges so people can flourish.
The Struggles of Dololo Dokatu
Families living in Dololo Dokatu — a remote area of Marsabit, Kenya — faced persistent hardships. Severe water scarcity and tribal clashes caused continuous challenges in the community. Like many, Qabale and her family depended on livestock and charcoal burning for survival. Frequent droughts and cattle rustling decimated their herds, and the charcoal trade degraded the environment. Without clean water and nutritious food, her children frequently fell ill, resulting in high medical costs and poor school attendance.
“Before the program’s intervention, my family, especially my children, would regularly fall sick due to lack of safe drinking water and food,” Qabale recalls. “This would result [in] poor academic performance in school since the children would regularly miss classes…life was hard due to high medical costs incurred.”
Collaborating to Overcome Challenges
In October 2019, thanks to the support of donors like you, FH Kenya began working alongside the Dololo Dokatu community. The focus was on creating reliable access to clean water and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.
This began by first addressing three main challenges hindering access to clean water:
- Insecurity caused by tribal clashes.
- Delays due to difficulties mobilizing supplies from far distances.
- Poor road infrastructure.
FH Kenya first worked closely with government agencies to ensure security details were available as needed. They helped coordinate vendors close to the project site, held regular follow-ups with contractors, and kept community leaders and staff informed, ensuring supplies were received more timely. Additionally, they coordinated with community members, including chiefs and village leaders, to plan transportation routes and designate alternative routes as needed. Building partnerships with and within the local community was key to the success of these efforts.
The project also rehabilitated the diesel fuel-powered water tank by converting the borehole to a solar-powered system. This reduced the high operational costs for Qabale and other families.
Additional improvements included:
- Extending water pipelines to nearby farms and households.
- Enabling irrigation.
- Enhanced crop production.
FH Kenya also provided seeds and seedlings for various crops and pastures, and comprehensive training in agricultural techniques, soil conservation, and organic farming.
Achieving Sustainable Solutions
Qabale actively participated in these initiatives, including attending agri-nutrition and post-harvesting training, planting the crop demonstration and fodder farm, and training new farmers. Through these efforts, the community saw significant transformation.
“There has been tremendous improvement since the project was initiated,” Qabale shared. “The water cost has reduced. We no longer depend on [a] diesel-powered generator. FH supported us with the installation of a solar-powered system which minimized operation costs. We now have adequate water supply for multiple uses including crop and fodder production.”
The availability of clean water improved hygiene and health, reduced illnesses, and reduced children’s absences from school. Diversified crops, including fruits, vegetables, and fodder for the livestock, enhanced food security and nutrition. The community group’s income increased by 65%, too.
A Bright Future Ahead
The impact of clean water and improved agriculture extends beyond immediate health and economic benefits. Collaboration with FH and the giving hearts of our donors have empowered Qabale and the community of Dololo Dokatu to strengthen the bonds within their community. Thanks to these partnerships, the community now supports one another in times of need — reflecting the new strength of their social fabric — and children, like Qabale’s, benefit from better health and uninterrupted education.
Qabale dreams of a future where every household in Marsabit has access to clean water and sustainable agriculture. “As a community, we are very glad for this project. It has really solved our water, livelihoods, and nutritional challenges. We now have running taps near our households. We pray to God to continue blessing FH and all its donors.”
You can join us to make an exponential difference in the lives of others today. Through Match Your Donation, your generous gifts will be multiplied 22x. Together, we can transform many more lives with the gift of clean water and sustainable livelihoods for God’s people.
