Rockwall Nonprofit Delivers Clean Water to Nearly Half of One African Slum

Rockwall, TX (May 2, 2023) – A Rockwall-based nonprofit is transforming one of the largest African slums one cup of water at a time.

The Bucket Ministry was founded in 2012 with a mission to share God’s love through the gift of clean, safe, drinking water. The nonprofit has worked in more than 20 countries worldwide distributing Sawyer PointONE filters, which use the same technology as kidney dialysis to remove all harmful bacteria, parasites, protozoa and cysts like E. coli, Giardia, Cholera, and Typhoid from unclean drinking water. When attached to buckets and properly maintained, the filters provide up to 20-plus years of clean, safe, drinking water.

Each individual who receives a filter from The Bucket Ministry agrees to keep it clean and allow the ministry’s indigenous leaders to conduct three home visits.

“Our mission is for everyone in the world to have access to clean water and the life-giving news of the gospel of Jesus,” said Christopher Beth, founder and chief storyteller of The Bucket Ministry. “Through follow-up visits, our team can not only ensure water filters are properly maintained, but also build relationships so we can use the filter as a tool to share about Jesus.”

Each filter receives a unique, waterproof barcode which, at the point of distribution, is scanned with a tablet or smartphone. The Bucket Ministry uses the barcode to track its water filter distribution, follow up and discipleship effectiveness in real time through its proprietary Mission Mapping.

Since 2018, The Bucket Ministry has worked extensively in Kibera, a large slum located in Nairobi, Kenya. The slum is characterized by poverty, overcrowding and inadequate access to basic services such as clean water, sanitation and healthcare. The residents of Kibera are mostly low-income earners averaging $26 per month and working in informal sectors such as small-scale trading, casual labor and domestic work.

“When I first saw the living conditions in Kibera, it took my breath away,” Beth said. “There is no running water, no permanent electricity, no social services and only 78 latrines to serve 408,000 people. The lack of proper sanitation facilities contributes to poor living conditions, with open sewers and piles of garbage posing a health hazard to residents.”Because of the informal nature of the settlement, the exact number of Kibera residents is unknown. In 2020, The Bucket Ministry undertook the painstaking task of trying to understand how many people call Kibera “home” and how many homes were represented within the boundaries of the slum. Its 100% Kenyan team of 64 missionaries and pastors spent four-and-one-half months assessing the entire Kibera slum, knocking on every door and placing a GPS pinpoint on every home. The effort identified 408,478 individuals that call Kibera home.

Since then, The Bucket Ministry has distributed hope in the form of clean water and the message of Jesus to 48% of those homes. This equates to more than 160,000 individuals.“We are hearing reports that the numbers of patients coming through clinics are so few compared to what it was that clinics are having to close and consolidate operations,” commented Beth.

The ministry is committed to continuing its work until 100% of the Kibera homes have been served.

Individuals can join The Bucket Ministry in its mission for a gift of $50 per month. For more information, visit TheBucketMinistry.org.

Submitted

  bucket ministry, local nonprofits, Rockwall