Growing up in Maasai land, Sylvia Seleon always imagined a future where her community no longer struggled for water. She knew the hardship firsthand, walking long, unsafe distances for water that was never guaranteed to be clean. Even as a young girl, she believed this reality could change.
Today, Sylvia is living that dream.
She is now a Water Starters franchisee, owning and managing a borehole that provides clean water to more than fifty-five households, a local hospital, a primary school with over two hundred and fifty learners, and several small businesses at a fee. For her, water is not simply a resource; it is a catalyst for health, opportunity, and dignity. As she puts it, “Water is a long-term investment. When invested well, it transforms every part of life, from health to nutrition, to how women earn and provide for their families.”
Her journey began in 2021, when she first learned about the Water Starters investment opportunity during a community dialogue meeting in Kima Village. She immediately recognised its potential to reshape her community’s future. Later that year, she partnered with Amref Health Africa in Kenya, securing 15% of the seed capital for a KES 10 million borehole. At the same time, her family contributed the remaining amount from savings and a loan from the local bank. This marked the beginning of the Kima Water Project. What began as a business venture quickly evolved into a pathway to uplift her household and ignite economic transformation across her entire village.
With reliable water now available, Sylvia leased more than 10 acres of land to practice horticultural farming, growing onions, tomatoes, maize, beans, and assorted fruits. Her farm employs more than 20 casual labourers at various points in the season. Access to water has also empowered women across the village to cultivate fruits and vegetables, improve household nutrition, and earn additional income. Sylvia has also adopted drip irrigation, once unimaginable in Maasai land, transforming previously dry, unused ground into fertile, productive farmland and demonstrating what is possible when a community finally has dependable water.
For Mary Kimoyo, a Community Health Promoter in Kima Village, the borehole’s impact is evident in every household she serves. She recalls how the forty-five households under her care struggled with hygiene and sanitation before the borehole was installed. Women and girls spent hours walking long distances each day to fetch water that was often unsafe, leading to frequent diarrhoeal illnesses and leaving little time for school, rest, or productive work. Today, Mary notes with relief, water is available close to home. Families fall sick less often, women have more time, and overall well-being has improved dramatically.
The impact of reliable water also extends to Lesonkoyo Comprehensive Primary School, where Head Teacher Elias Mokari describes access to water as “the turning point we had waited for.” Piped water from the Kima Water Project, supplemented by harvested rainwater, now supplies the school with up to fifty thousand litres of clean water for an entire term, transforming nearly every aspect of school life. Previously, students were required to carry three to five litres of water to school each day for drinking, cooking, and cleaning. The water came from inconsistent and often unsafe sources, placing a heavy burden on learners, affecting their attendance, concentration, and performance. With a reliable water supply to the school, boarding facilities have been introduced; meals are prepared on-site; students arrive earlier and attend more consistently; and cases of stomach illnesses and waterborne diseases have dropped sharply. Absenteeism has reduced significantly, and between 2023 and 2025, the school’s mean score rose from 110 to 255, a remarkable improvement directly linked to the enhanced learning environment enabled by clean water.
A similar transformation has occurred at Kima Health Centre, where unreliable water once posed a constant risk to mothers and newborns. According to Dr Anthony Ndegwa, the facility relied solely on rainwater, which was severely limited during dry seasons. Sometimes, the team could not carry out deliveries for pregnant women because of a lack of water for basic hygiene, sterilising equipment, or cleaning. Waterborne diseases were common, and cholera outbreaks occurred frequently in the surrounding area. Everything changed in 2022, when the dispensary was connected to the Water Starters borehole. Over the past three years, the facility has recorded no maternal deaths. Cholera cases have almost completely disappeared, and deliveries, outpatient services, and vital procedures now run smoothly year-round. As Dr Ndegwa explains, “Water has become more than a resource at Kima Dispensary; it is the foundation of safe, reliable, and dignified healthcare.”
Reflecting on her journey, Sylvia remains convinced of one simple truth: “When you invest in water, you invest in life itself.”
About Water Starters:
WaterStarters is built on a strong network of partners whose combined expertise makes the model both scalable and sustainable. The initiative brings together more than sixty years of Amref Health Africa’s local knowledge and field presence in Kenya with the business acumen of MegaGroup, the Dutch technical wholesaler in water solutions and the driving force behind the WaterStarters NL Foundation.
Maji Milele enhances the model through its online and prepaid metering systems and its deep experience in social entrepreneurship across Kenya. Acacia Water contributes practical, science-based solutions for integrated water resource management at multiple scales, ensuring the long-term viability of water sources. The Kenyan–Dutch joint venture MAJI Water Storage provides clean, durable, and affordable water storage technologies that strengthen local infrastructure.
Sidian Bank offers financing to franchisees, enabling them to access loans for their share of the investment.
Edna Mosiara – Ag Communications Manager