Support our Hope for Widows Program in 2026
We're raising $40,000 to ensure we can help more widows this year
In Kenya, Maasai people say Enkare Enkishui
Our Mission
Water is Life Kenya is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to spark personal, economic, and community development in marginalized communities in Kenya, according to existing customs and culture. We do this by providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene; empowering women; and equipping people to develop income through improved resource management.
Years in Operation
1
Clean Water Projects
1
People with Clean Water
1
Widows Supported
1
WILK Blog: Perspectives
Celebrating Widows With Hope
We’ve entered the third year of our innovative Hope for Widows (HFW) Program. Begun in 2022, HFW came out of a response to help widowed Kenyan women who face immense odds due to disenfranchisement and gender inequality. Over the past two years, more than 100 women have been trained through…
Partner Spotlight: St. Philip’s Lutheran Church
Our newest partnership is bringing water to the Inkisanjani community later this year! Let's learn more about St. Philip's Lutheran Church, the Inkisanjani water project, and the progress that's already been made. A view from Inkisanjani in Kajiado County, Kenya. Where it All Began Our relationship with St. Philip's Lutheran Church is…
Planning for Pasture: Program Update
Planning for Pasture is already off to a strong start. Our ambitious goal is to support grazing management efforts around Amboseli National Park. We're doing this by working with local Grazing Management Committees (GMCs) to conserve grasslands at a scale that will benefit individual farmers. Now that we've trained community…
WILK's Transformative Programs
WASH Projects
Mainly through deep borehole wells, we establish community water, sanitation, and hygiene systems, each benefitting hundreds of families and their livestock.
Hope for Widows Program
Maasai widows are incredibly marginalized. We empower them to lift themselves out of poverty by providing business training and giving grants of goats and cash.
Livestock as a Business Program
To keep the water on, communities need stable income. We train and finance Maasai livestock keeping groups so they can run better businesses.
Beaded Handicrafts Program
One way we help Kenyan women generate income is through our Beaded Handicrafts program. We buy directly from artisans and sell our products to U.S. supporters.
Our Method
Across each of our programs, our educational approach meets a few key criteria:
- Engage all the Senses. We encourage dynamic participation by bringing lessons to life and teaching important lessons in approachable ways.
- Respect the People. We respect the people, culture, and traditions of the Maasai while introducing new concepts for water, livestock, and business management.
- Raise up Women. In a male-dominated society, we empower women with the skills, confidence, and leadership needed to improve their lives.
Water is Just the Beginning
Watch the video below to see the Oleopolos Community Borehole, established in 2012. For over a decade, this life-changing project has provided clean, reliable water to the surrounding community, improving livelihoods and supporting sustainable development.