Published in December 2025

For people living in the Nzeveni Village of Makueni County, southeast Kenya, sand dam technology has provided a solution to the problems that water scarcity held over their heads. We spoke to two community members to see how different generations felt about the sand dam project in their community. 

John Kaloki (pictured above), 63, and Sammy Musyimi, 24, are both members of the Mweleli Cluster Development self-help group (SHG) in Nzeveni Village, southeast Kenya. John, as a father of six, and Sammy, as a carer to his parents, were both looking for ways to ease their lives during dry seasons and support their families through farming, which they both rely on as their main source of income. Life before the sand dam was tough, as John expresses:

“Before this project was implemented, I would wake up at 6am and prepare to walk to the River Kalawa, which is 3km away. I had to send my children to fetch water in turns. Depending on how the household decides to use water, they could even retrieve water three times in a day - and that becomes a full day’s activity.”

For Sammy, life before the sand dam was very similar as he also lives 3km away from the River Kalawa:

“It took around 4 hours to retrieve water from the river. This is due to the long queues at the water source. I could make several trips to the river in a day, depending on the water usage at my household, adding more walking hours.”

The problems did not stop at how long it took to collect the water. Both John and Sammy spoke about the poor quality of the water and the risks that waterborne diseases posed to their health. One such disease, Typhoid, had sent Sammy to the hospital for a week. John explains his own experience:

“At first, it was just a stomach ache, a cramp here and there that I could push through. But soon, the symptoms got worse. I had constant nausea, and I got a fever, sending waves of heat through me."

Waterborne diseases are not just a health issue but are another cause of financial insecurity as money must be spent on medical treatment. As a father, John voices many concerns for his children, who had to divert focus from their education to carry out water fetching tasks. Sammy, as a young adult himself, confirms that the hours he spent collecting water took him away from simple pleasures such as playing football and having free time.

With support from Sand Dams Worldwide and our southeast Kenyan partner, Africa Sand Dam Foundation (ASDF), both John and Sammy have seen significant changes.

As a young person, looking at his parents and thinking about his own future, Sammy feels positive about the sand dams and wants to continue working hard to see more returns:

“In the past, I could see my parents struggle to grow crops which did way below average. I lacked water to do even small-scale farming but since we got water, my farm has become more serious, and I can see light at the end of the tunnel.”

Sammy Musyimi, member of the Mweleli Cluster Development self-help group in southeast Kenya.

Sammy shares that he has seen great changes to his environment, his farm, and subsequently his income, which he can invest back into his farming, his household and other important areas of his life:

“My farm is now looking good and very productive. I have been able to make 6,000 Kenyan Shillings (around £34) so far from selling kale and tomatoes. I have noticed that the tomatoes are doing very well, and the harvest is massive, so I will invest the money I have made in more tomato farming, as well as provide for my family”.

Reflecting on his hopes as a father, John believes that the sand dams have helped him achieve a major goal when it comes to securing a good future for his children:

“As a father I want to leave a legacy for my children and future generations. Our days are no longer consumed by the task of trekking long distances in search of water. Instead, we focus our energies on cultivating our land, reaping the rewards of our labour with good harvests. When I begin selling surplus produce, I would like to spend the income on my children.”

John Kaloki, member of the Mweleli Cluster Development self-help group in southeast Kenya.

When asked about the impact of the sand dams and how he felt towards the project overall, Sammy spoke about how things have positively developed for his local community:

“It’s green all over! We no longer walk long distances to get water. We don’t fear the dry seasons like we used to before. The dry seasons and the rainy seasons are all the same for us. I feel like an achiever. I have got what my heart was yearning for when I was joining the group.”

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