What a journey! In 2007, the International Awareness Committee of the Roanoke Alumnae Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. voted to raise funds for a Water Well after seeing an article in the Delta Journal. Water 4 Children Africa assigned the committee a Well on a schoolyard in Machakos, Kenya and the journey to raise funds began. Yard sales, raffles, Walk for Water and with the help of the men of the Roanoke Valley several “Chef Cooks-Offs” were held. The chapter also received several generous donations that also helped reach its goal in December 2014.
The Roanoke Alumnae chapter is pleased to announce that after speaking with Soror Vicky Butcher, executive director, Water 4 Children Africa, and Richard Makau , Kenyan, director, Water 4 Children Africa, Diane Jones, chapter president; and Cheryl Gray, committee chair mailed a check for $14,000 on February, 11, 2015 to have the Well built.
Machakos , the site of our Well, is a rural area in great need of clean drinking water. Richard Makau advised the following would occur once they received the funds:
Water 4 Children Africa, Inc. will drill a well over 250 feet deep and equip it with pump, storage and a distribution system. The system will provide water to two schools and a village serving over 5,000 villagers. Availability of water will help establish drip irrigation systems to schools starting its own agricultural feeding programs. In addition, not only does the Well provide safe water, but it will provide safe sanitation and hygiene.
It was through God’s grace that the Roanoke Alumnae Chapter was able to help make a difference by taking strides to decrease the death rate of approximately 3.3-million people that die from water related health problems each year.
