Your Gift Will Transform the Lives of People in Kona

A local source of water will improve gender equity in the community, where women and girls are impacted disproportionately by the water crisis.

Girls will be able to stay in school, rather than walking long distances to fetch water. Currently, girls collect water before and after school, and because of the distance, arrive late to school late and leave early, or just skip class entirely. More consistent school attendance sets them up for greater success in life.

Women will save hours a day. Once the water becomes available close to home, there will be no need to waste hours a day fetching water. Women will be able to spend time on more important household activities. Some will even, for the first time, be able to learn trades, seek meaningful employment, and earn income for the household.

The new latrines will bring dignity to the community since residents will no longer have to defecate out in the open.  They will be healthier, as latrines will limit the leaching of disease-causing germs into the water supply. Clean drinking water means children will miss less school and adults will miss less work. These outcomes will allow the entire community to grow and be more productive in the long term.

Livestock will thrive with a reliable source of drinking water. Healthier animals produce more food and revenue for the local economy.

The Community will become more self-sufficient. Already the village leader has committed to raising local funds to pay for maintenance, repairs, and ongoing operational costs. This project represents the start of Kona’s self-led efforts at community development, which will boost the impact in other areas, such as a higher quality of education at schools, increased economic empowerment for women, and community ownership of the project’s continuity.