Our Impact
Clean water for 65 children
When Bobby and Jack learned that children at Rainbow Orphanage were walking long distances to collect water from a nearby stream, they knew something needed to change. Through grassroots fundraising and community support, XOXO Cameroon raised over $15,000 to build a solar-powered water system at the orphanage. The borehole was drilled, pipes were laid, and a concrete water tower was raised on site. The system was completed in June 2026. Sixty-five children now have clean water every day, without walking for it.
Watch the moment they hit water
raised through grassroots fundraising. The borehole, pipes, water tower, and solar pump are all complete as of June 2026. Sixty-five children have clean water on site every day.
How it was built
The build ran in stages across the first half of 2026. Crews drilled the borehole and laid the pipe run, then prepared the rebar cage and poured the foundation for the tower. From there the concrete framework went up, followed by the base enclosures housing the electrical system for the solar pump. The structure then cured for roughly 45 days to reach full strength before the water tanks were mounted.
The solar pump was connected and the system went live in June 2026. It runs on solar power, which means no fuel costs and no dependence on the grid. For an orphanage in Mamfe, that is the difference between a project and a permanent fixture.
Built on three years of giving
It all started in 2022 when Bobby and Jack organized their first neighborhood collection drive, gathering clothing, supplies, and essential items for the children at Rainbow Orphanage. Over three years, those drives grew stronger. The community showed up again and again, generously donating goods and funds. This sustained commitment from neighbors and friends created the foundation for the well project and deepened XOXO Cameroon's relationship with Rainbow Orphanage and the children there.
A letter from Rainbow Orphanage
In December 2023, we received a handwritten letter from Pascaline Angel, age 11, at Rainbow Orphanage. She wrote to say thank you for the gifts and support the children had been receiving.
This is why we do what we do.
What's next
With clean water finished, the focus moves to the educational center: a dedicated building at Rainbow Orphanage where the children can study, get tutoring, and reach resources they don't have today. This is a bigger and longer build than the well, and we're raising for it now.
Bobby and Jack are also applicants for the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes, with winners announced in September 2026. If selected, the $10,000 award would cover a significant share of the construction cost.
Help us get there