This presentation shares insights from the initial years of building a small, grassroots NGO focused on installing water wells in under-served rural communities in East Africa, with a primary focus on Kenya. The speaker, a hydrogeologist with decades of professional experience in mining and environmental hydrogeology, brings a unique perspective to this volunteer initiative. This NGO considers that the biggest challenge is not installing water supplies, but keeping them operational. A contractual approach is used where wells are installed in needful communities that will take on the responsibility of long term maintenance, with ongoing technical and motivational support. The current (updated) operating model is lean, with local drilling contractors, no full-time staff and a small in-country team. The presentation will offer a candid overview of what worked and what did not. It will highlight the unexpected insights into groundwater supply infrastructure and governance in East Africa. In several respects, these may be more coordinated and forward-thinking than often assumed from a Western perspective. This talk offers field-level reflections intended to spark discussion around sustainability, scale, and the evolving role of hydrogeologists in global water access.