Hope for Rain

CrossFit funds construction of life-changing dam in Rabai, Kenya.

Since 2011, CrossFit Inc. and its affiliates have participated in starting and finishing school buildings, constructing pit latrines, nailing desks together, and celebrating success stories with community elders in various villages in Africa. Affiliates and CrossFitters around the world fund the projects by donating through Hope for Kenya.

This recent trip, CrossFit's 12th expedition, was different because the green light had been given to move forward on the biggest project to date: a surface dam.

Ringing in at just over US$50,000 and spanning the length and width of a few football fields put together, the 3-million-gallon surface dam literally changed the landscape of Rabai forever.

Although many areas of Kenya receive ample amounts of water throughout the year, Rabai, about 12 miles northwest of Mombasa, isn't on the list. The locals have adapted very well to the semi-arid climate and the dry months of the Kenyan calendar, but adaptation simply hasn't been enough. These people are constantly sick, and many die each year from either dehydration or contaminated water.

To remedy these problems, we plan to leverage the short April-June rainy season, catching and storing every precious drop in the manmade reservoir. Each day, about 5,500 people will benefit from the dam.

CrossFit is changing lives from the ground up-literally. This water source, along with a little hope and a can-do attitude, will alter the trajectory of the villagers' lives. Instead of struggling with disease, dehydration and poor nutrition, they'll be moving toward health, longevity and wellness.