Where Safe Water Flows, Opportunity Grows: A GivePower Solar Water Farm Story

In Mtwapa, Kenya, a coastal town of roughly 90,000 people, a GivePower Solar Water Farm has brought safe, affordable drinking water to a community that long struggled to access it. For local mother Happy Sidi, the arrival of safe water opened a series of business opportunities, showing how access to a basic need can unlock broader economic growth for families and entire communities.

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In 2024, Happy Sidi, a local mother of two in Mtwapa, Kenya, was simply trying to make ends meet.

One day, she noticed contractors clearing the bush and preparing the ground for what would soon become a GivePower Solar Water Farm. Home to approximately 90,000 people, the bustling coastal town had long struggled to access safe water, creating serious health risks and economic strain for residents.

That’s when inspiration struck: the team would need food while working under the scorching coastal sun.

So, Happy Sidi launched a small catering hustle. Every day, she delivered ugali, fish and tea to the workers on-site.

Months later, safe drinking water began flowing. Nearby communities flocked to the new GivePower Solar Water Farm, where safe water was finally accessible and affordable. Mothers, children and boda-boda (motorcycle taxi) drivers became some of the first customers as the site quickly came to life. Just 200 meters away, boda-boda drivers began creating a new gathering place as economic activity around the Solar Water Farm grew.

Happy Sidi saw another opportunity: where people gather, people get hungry. She used her savings to build a small food kiosk, locally known as “Kibandaski,” serving boda-boda drivers and their customers. This time, instead of cooking from home, she brought her business directly to where opportunity was growing.

Then, GivePower began sending bowsers to distribute safe water deeper into the community. Happy Sidi stood in line like everyone else, but while others waited, she was thinking ahead. She saw how far some mothers still had to walk, and how quickly the bowser’s water supply ran out.

So, Happy Sidi took her boldest leap yet. She purchased a 5,000-liter water tank and opened a licensed water kiosk, helping bring safe water closer to her neighbors.

Happy Sidi’s story reflects a challenge that extends far beyond Mtwapa. According to UN Water, 3.6 billion people face water shortages today, a number projected to rise to more than 5 billion by 2050. GivePower’s Solar Water Farms are designed to help meet this urgent need. Powered entirely by solar energy, these systems transform unsafe, contaminated water into safe drinking water for communities in need. In Mtwapa, the Solar Water Farm Max system produces up to 75,000 liters of safe water each day.

Happy Sidi is more than a business owner. She is an example of how providing access to basic needs like safe water can help unlock opportunity, creating new possibilities for both families and entire communities.

As she puts it, “GivePower brought us water. Water brought people together. And people brought business.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a GivePower Solar Water Farm?
A GivePower Solar Water Farm is a desalination and water treatment system powered entirely by solar energy. Each system transforms unsafe, contaminated water into safe drinking water for communities in need. Depending on the model, a single Solar Water Farm produces between 15,000 and 75,000 liters of safe water per day

How much safe water does the Mtwapa Solar Water Farm produce?
The GivePower Solar Water Farm in Mtwapa, Kenya uses the Solar Water Farm Max system, which produces up to 75,000 liters of safe drinking water each day for the surrounding coastal community of approximately 90,000 people.

How much safe water has GivePower distributed?
GivePower has distributed over 500 million liters of safe drinking water through its Solar Water Farm program. More than 1.4 million people now have access to safe, affordable drinking water every day.

Where does GivePower operate Solar Water Farms?
GivePower currently operates 18 active Solar Water Farms across Kenya, Haiti and Tanzania, with one more site expected to launch in 2026.