Back in 2012, Ingrid Detweiler brought the opportunity to support the Kenya Water Project to the Rotary Club of Concord, having learned about the dire need for water and better hygiene from Martina Amoth, a citizen of Kenya who received two Partners in Peace scholarships from P.E.O. International to study for her PhD at the University of MA, Amherst. P.E.O. is a women’s organization dedicated to supporting women’s education.
Partnering with the Kenyan Rotary Club of Nairobi Parklands, the Concord Rotary Club secured a grant of $35,000 from the Rotary International Foundation, leading to a number of wells and water harvesting projects in the Kisumu region of Kenya.
Martina shared that COVID was especially challenging for the Kenyan people, because the simple act of washing one’s hands was just not possible in areas where a family of five shared a single glass of water daily, and the cost of water was prohibitive to the average Kenyan. In areas with Rotary wells, the number of COVID cases and the mortality rates were lower – literally the wells saved lives.
Martina emphasized that though the investments were made in 2012, the wells continue to serve their communities to this day, and make a huge difference in the lives of the people in this area. She observed that even the smallest gifts, together, brought positive change.