A new drinking-water borehole has been completed in the Kenyan village of Chemelil in Nandi County, providing reliable access to clean water for residents of the parish of Venerable Zosima of Solovki. The project was carried out with support from the Foundation for Support of Christian Culture and Heritage, according to the Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa.

The parish’s area priest, Fr. Titus Kipngeni, said that before the borehole was drilled, local residents faced serious difficulties accessing water. Many had to walk long distances to collect water, and at times relied on donkeys to transport it.

After the borehole was equipped and a water tap/stand was installed, clean water became easier to access for many families within the parish and in surrounding communities.

“For people, this is a major change in everyday life. Now they don’t have to spend hours traveling to distant water sources,” representatives of the parish community said.

Chemlil lies in Kisumu County in western Kenya, a region where safe water access remains a pressing issue. Despite the proximity of Lake Victoria, many rural residents continue to struggle with a lack of dependable sources of drinking water. Local media have noted that access to safe and improved water remains one of the key problems in the county, with a significant portion of the population depending on wells and boreholes of varying quality.

Local authorities in Kisumu have highlighted that developing water infrastructure is among the region’s priorities. In recent years, projects have focused on building and rehabilitating water facilities, including drilling new boreholes and upgrading water-supply systems.

For the residents of Chemelil, the new well is expected to solve more than an everyday household challenge. Reliable water directly affects health, enables agricultural activity, and strengthens families’ ability to care for one another.

The assistance to the parish of Venerable Zosima of Solovki is part of broader humanitarian work carried out by the Russian Orthodox Church in Africa. Earlier, the Church supported parishioners with agricultural assistance. In May, at the start of the planting season, priests delivered maize seeds to members of the parish, while parishioners associated with the Great Martyr Catherine received fertilizer support.

“Rainy season is starting, and for many it becomes even harder to feed their families. We try to support those who need it most,” Fr. Titus Kipngeni said earlier.

The parish’s development continues: in 2025, the dean of the Nandi deanery performed a rite to lay the cornerstone for a future church dedicated to Venerable Zosima of Solovki. The service was conducted with the blessing of the Patriarchal Exarch of Africa, Metropolitan Constantine of Cairo and North Africa.

Water-related assistance projects are also being carried out in other African countries with the involvement of the Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa. Earlier, with support from the Church, boreholes were drilled in Malawi and Nigeria, where the new water sources helped both parish communities and local residents facing difficult conditions.