water for the community
  • Ambassador-led initiative

FreshRain

Hope is the Project Lead of FreshRain, a solar-powered smart rainwater harvesting and treatment system that monitors,collects, and purifies rainwater through a chemical-free process to provide safe drinking water.
Published June 2026
  • Clean Water And Sanitation
SROI 1:15

Hope is the Project Lead of FreshRain, a solar-powered smart rainwater harvesting and treatment system that monitors,collects, and purifies rainwater through a chemical-free process to provide safe drinking water.

FreshRain began in 2024 in Mombasa, Hope’s hometown, in response to the region’s growing water crisis. Communities were paying high prices for water, inspiring the development of a climate-friendly, easy-to-operate system that could harness Kenya’s two rainy seasons to provide a sustainable source of drinking water throughout the year.

FreshRain’s first prototype was launched in 2024 at the Kenya Red Cross IOME254 Social Innovation Hub in Mombasa. Following the success of the pilot, FreshRain expanded its focus to schools and underserved communities experiencing water scarcity. To date, FreshRain has supported 300 schoolchildren through the Kaembeni CDC Project in rural Kilifi. The project has implemented a solar-powered rainwater harvesting and purification pilot that currently serves 40-50 users daily. In addition,mitigating 146 tCO₂ through fuel displacement. FreshRain has trained 200 women through four entrepreneurship and leadership modules, organised participants into 10 Self-Help Groups (SHGs), and supported the development of women-led microenterprise structures this project has mitigated. The Kaembeni CDC Project is currently 25% complete and, once finished, will include a 75,000-litre underground storage tank and purification system capable of producing more than 650 litres of potable water per day.

Hope attended the 2019 Summit in London, and through the One Young World network, she built a partnership with a fellow Ambassador working on water technology solutions, collaborating on ways to expand their impact and better serve underserved communities.

“One Young World has helped validate the work that I do. It has reinforced the belief that even when I may not see immediate results, building impactful projects is worth it in the long run. I do this because I want to live a purposeful life and use my skills, knowledge, and opportunities to serve others.”