For generations, the Samburu people have relied primarily on livestock to sustain their families. Cattle, goats, sheep and camels provide food, income, and are central to Samburu culture. But as droughts become more frequent and rainfall less predictable, grazing lands shrink, water sources dry up and livestock become vulnerable and perish. These losses have prompted many communities to expand into small-scale agriculture to improve food security and nutrition, and create new sources of income. 

Growing crops in Samburu is no easy task. The region's hot, semi-arid climate means rainfall is scarce, making reliable access to water one of the greatest barriers to farming. With clean water nearby, however, families and schools can cultivate drought-tolerant crops, providing fresh, nutritious food that was once difficult to grow consistently.

Recognizing the potential of gardens, TSP launched the Friends of the Shamba program following our Giving Tuesday campaign in 2023. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, the program helps establish and sustain school gardens at our partner schools, providing students with hands-on agricultural education while improving nutrition and creating opportunities for long-term food security. 

The gardens flourishing today are only possible because of investments made a decade earlier. This month, as we continue celebrating 20 Years of TSP, we're looking back at 2016–2017, when TSP drilled 17 wells that brought clean, safe water to more than 12,600 people. Nearly a decade later, all but one of those wells continue to provide reliable water to the communities they serve, creating opportunities that extend far beyond drinking water - including the gardens now transforming schools in Samburu.

WELL SPOTLIGHT: LPUS LELUAI PRIMARY SCHOOL

Lpus Leluai Well, located in the Westgate community, was drilled in 2017. The following year, TSP completed another well at the nearby primary school, ensuring students had dependable access to clean water. Today, that reliable water source is helping the school establish a thriving garden where students grow vegetables, develop agricultural skills, and gain a deeper understanding of the connection between water, nutrition, and the land.

Already, the garden is producing kale, spinach, onions, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, green peppers, cowpeas (black-eyed peas), and green gram (mungbeans). While every crop contributes to healthier diets, legumes play an especially important role. In Kenya, an estimated 18–26% of children experience stunting, while anemia remains a widespread challenge among pregnant women and children. Rich in protein, iron, and fiber, beans help address these nutritional gaps in communities where access to a diverse diet can be limited. They also naturally replenish nitrogen in the soil, improving soil fertility and supporting stronger harvests over time. Because they are relatively drought-tolerant and store well after harvest, they are an ideal crop for communities adapting to a changing climate.

With a dependable water source nearby, a simple garden becomes so much more than a place to grow vegetables. It becomes an outdoor classroom where students gain lifelong skills, teachers incorporate agriculture into daily learning, families discover sustainable farming practices, and communities build resilience for the dry seasons ahead. One seed, one harvest, and one well at a time, clean water is helping communities discover their green thumbs and grow a healthier, more sustainable future.

Longtime supporters and friends of TSP, Catherine and Greg Pacos have been helping bring clean water to Samburu communities for nearly a decade. In 2017, they funded the first of what would become four wells, creating lasting access to safe, reliable water for hundreds of families.

Their connection to TSP is also a personal one. Their daughter, Victoria, has been a member of the TSP team for nearly a decade, giving the Pacos family a unique perspective on the organization's mission and impact.

In June 2023, Catherine and Greg experienced that impact firsthand when they traveled to Samburu after winning our Safari Adventure package at Splash Bash. Visiting the communities they have helped support, meeting local families, and seeing the life-changing effects of clean water deepened their connection to the work and reinforced the importance of investing in sustainable, community-led solutions.

We are incredibly grateful for the Pacos family's generosity, partnership, and unwavering commitment to helping communities in Samburu thrive. 

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