You can help Leigh make a difference in Kenya!

Family, Friends, and those of you who have navigated your way to this page, thank you!

As many of you know, I have decided to travel to Mutomo, Kenya in 2023 to take part in CMMB’s volunteer program at Our Lady of Lourdes Mutomo Mission Hospital. This means I will be departing Canadian soil, crossing the Atlantic, and barely sneaking on over to the other side of the equator. Near the excitement I feel towards being on the other side of the centerline, I am very excited to have you here.

I started my engineering degree with the plan “to build water systems in Africa.” After an undergraduate degree where I learned that a “water system” had about 1,000 different meanings and that Africa contains 54 different countries, I discovered I was quite naive.

An undergraduate degree later, and a handful of work experience, I returned to university to complete my master's degree in Public Health & Environmental Engineering with a focus in water treatment in low-resource settings. During my time in Mutomo, I will be assisting with Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), water quality monitoring, and source development projects. I hope to develop my abilities to engineer in low-resource contexts, learn the local water management practices, and collect data that will aid in funding efforts.

My opinion of international development and aid work has changed drastically from my initial desire to work in low-resource contexts. I have learned that I am traveling to Mutomo, Kenya to learn with and from the local community members. CMMB is providing an avenue for my particular skills to fill a void they recognize. In turn, I am asking for your help to achieve my goal of $5,000. Any amount of money you can afford would be greatly appreciated as well as your prayers, thoughts, and advice. Whatever beliefs you have, know that the foundation of this work is to provide love and service to those in need.

Thank you again; I cannot wait to share my experiences with you.

Leigh Borrett