Timothy, 39, is from Makueni County, Kenya. Timothy is Secretary of the Kwa Voki Self Help Group, which Just a Drop has worked with to implement safe water projects aimed at improving access to water and living standards within the wider community of 5,497 people.

Just a Drop worked with Timothy's group to construct a sand dam which provides easy access to safe water within the community. Sand dams raise the water table of the surrounding area, regenerating the land and enabling vegetation to grow. As part of the project, the community were trained in growing a variety of drought tolerant food crops, together with agricultural practices, such as terracing, seed bulking and tree planting.

We caught up with Timothy to hear his story. His humble demeanour concealed the sheer hard work he's put into the extensive farming of his land:

The water we get from the sand dam has improved our area immensely. We used to fetch water from very far away. I had dug a well in my compound but it would always run dry after a period of time, but now the water levels have increased so we always have water. Through our collaboration with Just a Drop we have learned a lot in terms of farming. I studied Mechanical Engineering but I have come to realise farming is a venture one can be very successful in. Initially, when water was inadequate in our region, my crops would wither and fail to produce. This prompted me to look for other jobs, I bought a motorbike and used it for the transport business, to earn a little income. By then, I had 200 orange trees and a few mango trees which I heavily depended on. Due to the availability of water thanks to the sand dam, I have increased my yields. I now have 400 orange trees, 180 mango trees, banana trees, paw paws, cowpeas and pigeon peas.

'Mostly I sell the fruits because they make the most income. I alternate the way I plant depending on the season. When the season for oranges is low that’s when I supply my oranges in the market. One orange tree bears 50-60 kilograms of oranges; I harvest 12 tons or more in a season. My price ranges at 30 KES per kilo during the half season and 40 KES per kilo during the long season. Normally, a kilo usually consists of 3 oranges depending on the size. When the business is low, the least income that I earn is 250,000 KES.'

I also sell mangoes although my main speciality is oranges and I have built a business reputation with that. When there were troubles with accessing water, I would earn only 7000KES but now the situation has changed and I aim to plant more fruit trees and expand my business.