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In the dense rows of shacks on the outskirts of Athi River, a city of ancient origin about 20 miles from Nairobi, a Christian nonprofit based in the United States bucket ministry Bring clean, safe drinking water to residents who have long struggled with unsafe water sources.
The Texas-based water department announced plans to distribute water filters to a quarter of the Athi River population, targeting specifically the city’s four slums: Bondeni-Jua Kali, Kanani, Slaughter and Sophia. The initiative focuses on combating the rampant waterborne diseases in these communities, which have no municipal plumbing and no sewage management.
According to Christopher Beth, founder and director of Bucket Ministry, of all cases reported by local clinics, “40 out of every 100 are water-related illnesses.” A well-maintained water filter can greatly reduce this number.The Ministry plans to distribute Sawyer PointONE filterConnects to a bucket to guarantee clean, safe drinking water for over 20 years.
The ministry said the work followed the success of previous work in Kibera, an informal settlement in Nairobi and Africa’s largest slum. In this settlement, the Department of Health successfully equipped half of the households with filters, dramatically reducing the self-reported diarrhea rate from 52.7% to 2.2% in about 70 days.
But these life-changing efforts come at a time of strained relations with the Kenyan government. The Bucket Ministry told The Christian Post that while the government claims it intends to solve the water crisis, it is actually trying to tax organizations that provide filters.
Water pollution is a widespread problem in the region, with environmentalists accusing local businesses of dumping untreated sewage and pollutants into the Athi River, further polluting already damaged water sources, the Associated Press said. to report earlier. Kenya’s National Environment Authority, which is in charge of river water quality standards, has also been accused of being negligent in controlling industrial discharge into the river.
Home to various economic classes, the Athi River bears witness to the plight of the lower classes who mainly live in the slums. Recent census data show that most families in Slaughter, the largest slum, live on less than $1 a day.
To further roll out, Bucket Ministry conducted 3 door-to-door follow-up visits after each filter distribution. These visits are tracked using their proprietary mission mapping system and provide an opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus while ensuring proper maintenance of the water filters.
With financial support from the Stoller Foundation, the Bucket Ministry has begun distributing water on the Athi River and is seeking additional funding to expand water filter distribution to all households in the slum.
Since its inception in 2012, Bucket Ministry has worked in more than 20 countries with a vision to reach all areas in need of clean water and the gospel message. As Beth said, they care as much about the lives of those they serve on earth as they do in heaven.
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