What MrBeast Did in Kenya Through Borehole Drilling
MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, became widely known in Kenya after using his philanthropic platform to support communities that lacked reliable access to clean drinking water. Through Beast Philanthropy, his charitable organization, he supported the construction of water wells and boreholes in Kenya as part of a wider African water project.
The project attracted major attention because it focused on a very basic but important need: access to safe water. Instead of simply donating bottled water, the initiative aimed to create more permanent water sources that communities and schools could use over a longer period.
MrBeast’s 100 Wells Project in Africa
The Kenya borehole project was connected to MrBeast’s wider 100 Wells campaign. Beast Philanthropy says the campaign was launched on November 4, 2023, with the goal of constructing wells in African communities that needed better access to fresh water.
According to Beast Philanthropy, the broader campaign constructed more than 100 wells in Cameroon, Kenya, Somalia, Uganda and Zimbabwe. The organization says these projects provided access to safe, clean drinking water for more than 250,000 people.
Kenya was therefore one part of a much larger water-access program.
The official Beast Philanthropy Kenya page currently reports 30+ wells built across Kenya and 30+ communities helped.
However, Kenyan media reports from the original 2023 project commonly described the Kenya project as involving 52 boreholes. Citizen Digital reported that MrBeast said he had drilled 52 boreholes in Kenya. The same report noted that the projects included schools and communities that lacked clean drinking water.
This difference is worth noting when discussing the project. The 52-borehole figure comes from reports about MrBeast’s 2023 announcement, while the current Beast Philanthropy website gives a different, broader figure of 30+ wells in Kenya.
Why Boreholes Were Important
A borehole provides access to underground water by drilling into water-bearing geological formations below the ground. Where groundwater is available and suitable for use, a properly designed borehole can provide a more reliable source of water than rivers, ponds or seasonal surface-water sources.
For communities without dependable water infrastructure, this can make a major difference.
People may otherwise have to walk long distances to collect water. Schools can also struggle when they do not have a dependable water supply for drinking, cooking, handwashing and sanitation.
The importance of the problem was reflected in Beast Philanthropy’s own description of Kenya’s water situation. Its Kenya project page states that 41.5% of the rural population relied on unsafe or unimproved water sources according to the cited 2023 SCRIP study.
Boreholes for Schools and Communities
One of the most important aspects of the project was its focus on schools and underserved communities.
Reports about the 2023 initiative mentioned a school in Nairiri, Meru County, among the locations where a borehole was drilled. The project was intended to help students and nearby residents gain easier access to clean water.
The work was not limited to drilling a hole into the ground. Reports showed additional infrastructure being installed to make the water useful to the people who needed it.
This included water tanks and piping systems. These components are important because a borehole alone does not automatically create a complete water-supply system.
A functioning project may require a pump, storage tank, pipes, water points and other infrastructure. Depending on the site, it may also require water treatment and testing before the water is used for drinking.
The Project Went Beyond Drilling
MrBeast’s Kenya visit attracted attention because the water work formed part of a wider set of community projects.
According to Kenyan reports, his team also provided computers to a school, donated sporting equipment and built bookshelves. He also encountered a wooden bridge that residents used and announced plans to replace it with a safer structure.
This made the visit broader than a simple borehole drilling project.
The water component, however, became one of the most discussed parts because it addressed a fundamental community need.
The idea was simple: if people have a dependable source of clean water close to where they live or study, they can spend less time searching for water and have better conditions for health, education and everyday life.
MrBeast’s Approach to Philanthropy
The project also demonstrated MrBeast’s unusual approach to charity.
Instead of operating mainly through traditional fundraising campaigns, he uses YouTube videos and online audiences to finance and publicize philanthropic projects.
His 2023 African wells video brought enormous attention to the issue of water access. Beast Philanthropy’s videos have helped turn infrastructure projects into content that can reach millions of people around the world.
This approach has both supporters and critics. Supporters argue that a creator with a huge audience can draw attention to problems that might otherwise receive little international coverage. Critics have questioned whether highly produced charity videos can simplify complicated development issues.
Even with those debates, the Kenya borehole project placed water access in front of a huge online audience.
What the Boreholes Mean for Kenya
The impact of a borehole goes beyond the physical water point.
For a school, reliable water can support drinking, cooking, cleaning and hygiene. This can create a better environment for pupils and teachers.
For a rural community, a nearby water source can reduce the amount of time families spend collecting water. That time can instead be used for farming, education, work and other activities.
Water can also support small-scale agriculture and livestock, although the use of a particular borehole depends on its design, water yield, local regulations and available infrastructure.
This is why proper borehole surveying, drilling, water testing and installation are important. A successful project needs more than simply finding groundwater.
A Model for Borehole Development
The MrBeast project also highlighted the role that borehole drilling can play in addressing water shortages in Kenya.
Professional borehole development normally starts with identifying a suitable site. Hydrogeological surveys can help determine whether groundwater is likely to be available and where drilling may have a reasonable chance of success.
After drilling, the borehole may require casing, development, testing and installation of a suitable pumping system. Water quality testing is also important, especially when the source will be used for drinking.
Storage tanks and distribution pipes can then help move water from the borehole to the people who need it.
This shows why the Kenya project was more significant than the image of a drilling rig alone. It demonstrated the importance of building a complete water-access system around a groundwater source.
The Continuing Water Mission
MrBeast’s work in Kenya did not end the wider discussion about access to clean water.
In 2025, MrBeast and Mark Rober launched #TeamWater, a major fundraising campaign aimed at improving access to clean water for millions of people worldwide. Kenya was among the countries included in the campaign’s planned work. The Associated Press reported that the campaign aimed to raise $40 million to improve water access for 2 million people.
This builds on the earlier wells initiative and shows that clean water remains an important part of MrBeast’s philanthropic work.
The Lasting Lesson From the Kenya Boreholes
MrBeast’s borehole work in Kenya drew attention to an issue that is much bigger than one celebrity or one YouTube video.
Clean water is basic infrastructure.
When a community receives a reliable water source, the benefits can reach schools, families, farmers and local businesses. A properly planned borehole can become a long-term community asset when it is supported by appropriate maintenance, water-quality monitoring and responsible management.
The Kenya project also showed the power of using modern media to highlight development challenges. MrBeast brought international attention to communities that needed water and used his online audience to help finance infrastructure.
While reports differ on the exact number of boreholes associated with the Kenya project, there is clear evidence that Beast Philanthropy supported significant water projects in Kenya. The organization’s current website confirms more than 30 wells in the country, while contemporary Kenyan reports referred to 52 boreholes in connection with the 2023 initiative.
For Kenya, perhaps the biggest message from the project is simple: borehole drilling can provide a practical path toward better water access when it is carefully surveyed, professionally drilled, properly equipped and maintained over time.