8.5 million steps later, a couple from Stamford have raised more than £20,000 to build a well in Kenya

George and Jan Hetherington have walked over 4 thousand 200 miles.

A map of the distance they've walked
Author: Hannah NorburyPublished 28th Nov 2020

More than £20,000 has been raised by a Stamford couple to build a well in Kenya, after walking 4,228 miles.

The charity Power for People are giving another £5,000 towards the cause.

Eight and a half million steps have been taken around George and Jan Hetherington's garden, that's equivalent to the distance between Osupukiai and Stamford.

The couple started 'Walking for Water', to raise money, which will go towards installing a well in a community in Kenya.

Woman carrying water

George said it all started after a single question:

"I asked him how they got on in the dry season, quite calmly he said, we used to know the day the water came, when the rain fell, now we don't.

The woman used to walk 10, or still do walk 10 to 15km, just to get a carton of water."

"It's difficult to imagine what it will mean to people, how would you be if you'd never had fresh, clean water on tap and all of a sudden it was available to you?

It'll mean health for the children, not drinking polluted water, a more settled community, it will allow them to develop their farming."

Jan said there's also been personal benefits:

"It's kept us fit during lock down and given us a purpose, it's been great."

Project co-ordinator Karen Okombo

Thanks to the funding, Power for People have been able to take another step forward with the project, and have hired a project co-ordinator called Karen Okombo.

But for George the work doesn't stop there, he said:

"What they need most is water and electricity.

If we can raise more money that's fine, we know the project is going ahead. It's great, but I'd like to develop it further.

One of the sayings Power for People has is, 'handshakes not handouts' in other words we are working with you, not just giving you something and leaving you."

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