20 Liters partners with World Relief not only to distribute our filters for clean water, but also to initiate health, hygiene, and sanitation programs in Rwanda.
In many rural communities across Rwanda, the radio plays a role similar to morning news shows in the United States. It informs, educates and shapes daily decisions.
For Marie Jeanne, a mother of three living in Kinoni Sector, the radio delivered a message that stayed with her: children should eat one egg every day to grow strong and healthy.
Marie Jeanne wanted that for her children. She worked hard, tending her farm and house, carefully stretching every dollar to pay for school fees, clothing and basic necessities. Eggs, however, felt like a luxury. She believed they were only for wealthy families or for children who were seriously ill. No matter how important nutrition felt, this remained out of reach.
At the same time, Marie Jeanne served her community as a World Relief WASH (Water Access, Sanitation, and Hygiene) project volunteer. In this role, she visited neighbors, shared practical hygiene knowledge and helped families adopt healthier practices around clean water and sanitation. She spent her days encouraging change, without knowing that change was about to reach her own home.
Chickens changing lives?
Through the partnership with World Relief and 20 Liters, WASH volunteers received chickens as part of a broader effort to improve health, nutrition and long-term resilience. Marie Jeanne was a recipient and graciously welcomed the chickens, not knowing how quickly they would reshape her family’s daily life.
Before long, the chickens began laying eggs.
Today, Marie Jeanne prepares one egg every morning for each of her children before they leave for school. “My children are growing stronger, gaining weight and getting sick less often,” she explains. “Clean water and nutritious food have truly transformed their health.” With better nutrition and reliable access to clean water, her children arrive at school healthier, more focused and ready to learn.
The chickens provide more than nutrition. Marie Jeanne’s family now has four, and as they continue to multiply, she plans to sell eggs for income. That income will help cover other household needs and reduce the financial stress that many rural families face daily.
Permission to Dream
More importantly, the chickens have given Marie Jeanne permission to dream. She hopes the income will one day allow her to buy a goat, then a cow and eventually land. These are not abstract dreams; they are achievable steps that represent stability, dignity and a secure future for her children.
Marie Jeanne expresses deep gratitude to 20 Liters and World Relief for their support. What began as clean water and practical resources has grown into better nutrition, stronger health and new economic opportunity. For her family, and many others like hers, this partnership is meeting more than immediate needs. It is helping rural families in Rwanda build healthier, more hopeful futures, one step at a time
