In Shirango, a small village four hours from Mombasa, Kenya, life used to centre around one difficult task: finding water. Every day, women and girls walked 15 kilometres, a three-hour round trip, just to collect water. It was often dirty, unsafe, and hard to reach. With just over 1,500 people in the village, the lack of clean water affected everyone: Children missed school, animals were weak, crops dried up, families often got sick.
In early 2024, Project Espwa heard about this and wanted to help. A local water diviner came to the village and showed where they should drill. After months of planning, the team started digging. Then, in October 2024, after drilling 200 metres into the ground, they struck water! It was a life-changing moment.
By February 2025, the full water system was ready. Our friends at E.P.S. Mallow donated the pump and solar panels. Project Espwa paid for the drilling and sent a container from Ireland with everything needed: a solar pump, pipes, water tanks, and cables. A group of Irish volunteers flew to Kenya to install it all.They worked in 40°C heat, travelled 2 hours each way on bumpy roads, and built the water tower using local materials.
Now, the village has clean water for over 1,500 people, healthier families and more kids in school, stronger animals giving more milk and meat, and better crops .
“We saw people cry with joy when the water came. It’s something we take for granted every day in Ireland.” — Dan Ducey, Project Espwa Board Member
