From Yam Leaves to Laboratory Flasks: My Journey Home to The Ayin Project
The year 2026 began like many others: a long, eight-and-a-half-week holiday back home in Mbarara, followed by the familiar journey back to Kampala to get the children settled into school. I had arrived in the capital with a lingering idea in the back of my mind: maybe it was time to return to the village and set up a coffee garden.
Life, however, had a very different plan for me.
For quite some time, especially in the post-COVID-19 era, finding formal, fulfilling work had felt like an uphill battle. Hope was slipping, and I often found myself whispering, “I don’t have the connections to land a role at those dream organizations.”
Then came a quiet turning point.
Barely two days after returning to Kampala and finally getting back on the grid after weeks in the village where phone coverage is a rare luxury, a mutual friend with Sulman called. They mentioned an opening at an organization called the Water Research and Development Center (WRDC). The moment I heard the word “Research,” my heart said an immediate prayer. Research had always been my natural passion; my mind is endlessly curious, forever asking “Why?”
I quickly looked into The Ayin Project Organization. Although the vacant role was for an Administrative Assistant rather than a dedicated research spot, I knew I had the transferable skills to make it work. I applied, interviewed, and soon found myself stepping into a brand-new chapter.
A Childhood Echoed in Water
TAP’s mission is simple yet profound: to bring sustainable, clean water solutions to underserved communities. For me, that mission isn’t just professional, it’s personal.
I grew up living the very WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) challenges we work to solve.
As a child, my daily routine involved trekking down the hill to an open, hand-dug well shared with cattle. My siblings and I would make two full trips a day, carrying 20-liter jerrycans back up the slope.
At school, drinking safe water was never emphasized. On scorching days or during intense sports events, unbearable thirst meant scooping a few handfuls of water from an open well using folded yam leaves.
Back in my home village and sub-county, that reality hasn’t changed much. Clean, sustainable water remains a critical challenge. Joining TAP wasn’t just taking a job; it was stepping into a personal calling to help close a gap I had lived through firsthand.
Bridging Science and Purpose at The Ayin Project
If you were to meet me today, you’d find a simple, warm-hearted lady who loves making new friends, solving social problems, and sharing life stories.
My background is in science: I hold a Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology from Makerere University, along with six years of experience in food research, product development, and leading small teams.
Since joining TAP, my world has expanded tremendously. Today, I serve as both an Administrative Assistant and a Water Laboratory Technician. I’ve sharpened my technical edge through specialized CAWST WASH modules, Laboratory Quality Management System (LQMS) trainings, and helping design and implement our laboratory Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
Whether I am coordinating schedules or analyzing water samples, I know every test result translates directly to a healthier community.
Peace washing hands at TAP Partner School
The Power of Small Steps
Reflecting on this journey, the most rewarding part has been realizing that my childhood struggles were not in vain they were preparing me for this exact work.
The biggest surprise? Learning that real, lasting change doesn’t require a massive army. Under the guidance of our mentor, Joshua K., I’ve seen how small, consistent steps taken by a small, dedicated team can transform lives across rural, peri-urban, and city communities alike.
I may not have planted that coffee garden, but standing here today at The Ayin Project, I know I am right where I am supposed to be: planting seeds of hope, health, and clean water for the future.
Peace Kekirunga
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