South Coast woman raises $100k to bring water to Kenyan village women
Malua Bay resident Sharlene Cohen and the Rotary Club of Batemans Bay raised $100,000 to bring water to Masaai communities in Kenya.
Sharlene Cohen from Malua Bay on the NSW South Coast spent 10 years building connections with Masaai women in Kenya. Sharlene raised $100,000 to bring them safe, reliable water.
The women previously walked up to 12 kilometres daily in the heat. The women spent up to three hours collecting water from sources that were often unsafe or dry.
This time was stolen from school and earning income. Cohen stayed with the Masaai community, learned their language, and was given the name Namayiana, meaning blessing.
The water project emerged directly from what the women told her they needed most. With water closer to home, the women and girls will have time for education, work, and safer futures.
- 10 years
- Years of connection
- 100,000 dollars
- Amount raised
- up to 12 kilometres
- Daily walk distance
- more than 1000 people
- Community size
Why it mattersDemonstrates how listening to communities and working alongside them rather than imposing solutions creates real, lasting change in people's lives.
AustraliaAustralian-led charity effort bringing basic infrastructure to vulnerable communities overseas, reflecting global engagement from regional NSW.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 11 d ago
