Maji Zima envisions a society where everyone has access to safe drinking water and is aware of waterborne diseases and the dangers of drinking contaminated water. With this vision, Maji Zima recently installed a water filter at the Mary Faith Rescue Centre home.
Mary Faith Rescue Centre is a home where love overflows, and hope is restored. A safe haven where Mary Njeri Daniels, a survivor of sexual abuse, opens her home and her heart to support sexually and physically abused children and give them refuge. Together with 15 other women, Mary founded the centre to provide a home to young children born to victims of sexual abuse and those who have been abused. The rescue centre hosts 110 kids nurtured and cared for by 15 workers and 4 teachers to provide healing and growth. Twenty-one years later, the first child rescued in 2002 is in her final year of university pursuing a Bachelor's degree in nursing. The home has had, is having, and will continue to impact and change these children's lives positively.
To help care for all these children, Mary Faith Rescue Centre gets support from Lift the Children Foundation, which graciously donates funds for running the home daily, and Tuma Kimbi Foundation, which provides university sponsorship alongside other well-wishers who help where they can. We were intrigued and moved into action when we learned about this home. They were having a challenge accessing safe drinking water for the children. They had two unraised water tanks where they stored water they bought from local vendors for drinking and cooking. They also had a borehole where they fetched water for laundry and cleaning the compound.
The pre-installation journey
The raised tank at Mary Faith Rescue Centre
As Maji Zima, we wanted to salvage this situation by installing the MS-MZ water filter. However, we needed the water tanks raised before proceeding, as our filters are gravity fed.
Water is becoming an expensive commodity in Kenya, yet not everyone can afford it. Without clean, safe water, we cannot run most of our activities here at Mary Faith Rescue Center, Says Mary Faith, the director of Mary Faith Rescue Centre.
We buy 20 litres of water at 20 shillings, and our centre uses 80 litres daily for drinking. We need to boil the water to make it safe for drinking. The Maji Zima Water Filter will save firewood from boiling water. Our children will not suffer from water-borne diseases because water will be safe for drinking without boiling. She concluded.
We assessed the water quality in the borehole and concluded that it was too muddy and contaminated for consumption. So we found an excellent local welder and set out to raise the main water tank to the recommended height.
MS-MZ water filter Installation
Our CEO assisting the plumber during the installation process at Mary Faith Rescue Centre
Mary bought enough water to fill the tank. On April 2023, we visited the home and began the water filter installation. The children at the home were eager to assist and be assigned small tasks. Our team took the time to put together the individual components ensuring no leakages or opportunities for cross-contamination. We tested the system for leakages and confirmed that everything was working perfectly.
We trained two house parents, the security guard and a teacher on adequately caring for the water filter. We explained that caring for the water filter encourages longevity and ensures the water is not contaminated. We needed the home to understand that if properly cared for, the water filter will significantly improve their state of life within the home as the number of children falling ill will reduce. Mary Faith can now channel the money used previously to treat the children into other things such as school fees or general well-being.
Conclusion
The installed MS-MZ water filter at Mary Faith Rescue Centre
The installation of the MS-MZ water filter at Mary Faith Rescue Centre was a success. The home is now at an advantage given the improvement that safe drinking water will have in their lives. We are sure that when we return for a post-installation visit, the rate at which the children suffer from waterborne diseases will have reduced significantly. So you, too, can make a difference in the lives of children around you by helping a children's home near you get a water filter.
