Changing Lives, One WaterSafe Backpack at a Time

By Connie Cheren, Founder of Partners for Care, member of the Charlotte International Rotary Club

When I first traveled to Kenya in 2007, I thought it would be a short trip — an opportunity to volunteer and return home with new memories. Instead, it changed the direction of my life. 

I saw children missing school because of preventable illnesses, mothers walking miles to fetch water that wasn’t even safe to drink, and communities doing everything they could to survive with very little. As a nurse and social worker, I couldn’t ignore what I saw. 

That trip led to the creation of Partners for Care, an organization built on one clear mission: to change lives, one child at a time. Our vision has always been that every child in Kenya should have the opportunity to live, to have safe water, enough food, access to school, and the chance to grow up healthy and strong. 

Connie Cheren

Discovering WaterSafe — A Partnership for Change 

Years later, I learned about WaterSafe by FPS, an innovation that immediately caught my attention. The WaterSafe backpack is a simple yet brilliant idea — a safer and more hygienic way to carry, store, and dispense water. For women who often carry heavy jerry cans or buckets for long distances, this backpack changes everything. 

At Partners for Care, we’ve had the privilege of working alongside the WaterSafe team to bring these backpacks into Kenyan communities that need them most. We witnessed firsthand how it transforms daily life — from easing physical burdens to improving health outcomes. 

The Parkishon Story —Safe Water, Real Results 

One of the most powerful lessons we’ve learned came from our work in Parkishon, Marsabit County, where we partnered with local health officials to help children enrolled in a nutrition program. Many of these children were malnourished and receiving Plumpy’Nut, a therapeutic food meant to help them recover. Yet despite the supplements, progress was painfully slow. 

It wasn’t the food that was failing them, it was the water. Families were still using unsafe water from nearby dams, and repeated illness was keeping children from healing. 

That’s when we introduced WaterSafe backpacks, along with hygiene training and soap distribution. Each family received a backpack to help keep water safe from source to storage. What happened next was remarkable. 

Within just three months, 10 of the 37 children whose families used the WaterSafe backpacks made a full recovery, so healthy they no longer needed to remain in the feeding program. Children who didn’t have access to safe water continued to struggle. 

In total, about 27% of the children using WaterSafe backpacks recovered completely, and nearly all showed faster improvement than before. It was clear proof that safe water isn’t just a convenience, it’s a lifeline. Safe water gave those children the strength to heal, grow, and play again. 

Ripples of Hope 

Beyond the data, it’s the personal stories that stay with me. I remember one mother who told me she no longer fears giving her children a drink. Another described how the WaterSafe backpack made carrying water easier on her back and shoulders — a small mercy that means so much when you’ve been doing it for years. 

At local schools in Parkishon village, students now have safe drinking water during the day. Teachers have noticed fewer absences, and the children seem more energetic and eager to learn. 

These are the ripples of change that safe water creates.

Shared Purpose with Rotary 

Rotary’s dedication to Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) aligns deeply with our work. WaterSafe isn’t just a product; it’s a movement toward dignity, health, and sustainability — values Rotary members around the world hold dear. 

By joining hands across organizations, we’ve shown what’s possible when compassion meets innovation. Together, we can make safe water not just a goal, but a reality for every child. 

Join the Ripple 

Every drop of safe water tells a story — of a child’s recovery, a mother’s relief, a community’s renewed hope. 

You can be part of that story: 

- Connect with your Rotary club to support local or international water projects   

- Share this story to inspire others to take action 

Because when we carry water safely, we carry possibility — one backpack, one child, one life at a time. 

About the author: 

Connie Cheren is a nurse and social worker from Georgia, USA, and the founder of Partners for Care, a nonprofit organization committed to improving the health and well-being of children and families in Kenya. She is an active member of Charlotte International Rotary Club.