My time with Dig Deep Africa

In 2019, I started working alongside Dig Deep Africa to help raise money for the most rural communities in Kenya and Tanzania. I always felt bad asking friends, family and strangers to donate to a cause that would probably never affect their lives, other than the small rush of goodwill. After visiting the projects in rural Kenya and seeing how the money was used towards providing vital facilities has honestly been the greatest gift I could have possibly ever asked for. Fundraising is so challenging, but it will effect my life for less than a year and changes literally hundreds of people's lives for their lifetime.

Dig Deep Africa, used the funding to support communities to educate and build new toilets and fresh water facilities. It was important that we did not build the facilities ourselves, and the encouragement of the communities teamwork was vital as it creates cohesion and a sense of pride throughout the villages. It locally empowers the parents (the builders) and gifts them with ownership, skills and of course a wage.

Here are some of the different facilities dig deep provide:

Water harvesting -This provides the entire town with clean, fresh rainwater, replacing the stagnent, diseased lakes. These lakes collect the surrounding areas drainage, including the faeces from cattle and of course the villagers who don't have toilets.

Toilet blocks - These create a safe place for the children to go to the toilet. It also encourages the girls to attend school whilst on their period, which wasn't possible with their old 'blocks'. This improves their grades as they no longer miss 5 days every month. (60 days a year, causing their grades to suffer). These clean toilet blocks also prevent the spread of disease and avoid the horrific possibility of the toilets collapsing on them.

Taps - The children can wash their hands after visiting the toilets and prevent spread of infection.

Education - Nelly, one of our Kenyan Dig Deep representatives has taught over 2500 students about clean sanitation, the menstrual cycle and creating a clean toilet and sanitation system for home (as well as schools). She also did a test before and after her classes and the grades have significantly increased. As well as this, young women have been given beaded bracelet so they have a way to keep track of their period.

Here are some before/ after pictures of the work completed. As I have previously explained, fundraising is a lot of effort but realistically it is hard work for less than a year and honestly will benefit hundreds. I highly, highly recommend fundraising through 'Dig Deep' who allow the experience of climbing Kilimanjaro as part of the fundraising challenge (the best experience you will literally ever have).

When climbing Kilimanjaro, there are only two companies who treat their porters to the expected standards and Dig Deep ensure these companies are used when climbing. We passed a porter from another climb crying as his load was way too heavy and he wanted to work with us... so be careful and respectful if you ever do take on the climb.