DOCUMENTARY IN DEVELOPMENT | Premiering 2026

WHERE SCARCITY BECOMES A WEAPON

The global water crisis isn't about only thirst. It's about power. 2.2 billion people lack safe drinking water, forcing women and girls to spend a collective 200 million hours daily fetching it. This vulnerability creates a shadow economy where sex becomes the currency.  

It's called sextortion: the abuse of power to demand a sexual favor for a basic human right. This is not an isolated problem. 1 in 5 people in regions like Latin America and Asia has experienced sextortion for public services. In the Nairobi slums, where our film is set, 3 in 10 residents have witnessed it at a water point.  

Your Body For Water

Concept & Logline

Logline

After a young Kenyan woman is brutally assaulted at gunpoint while fetching water, her fight for justice takes an impossible turn when her attackers return from prison; not as outcasts, but as celebrated community champions. She must now confront her trauma in a community protected by the very men who assaulted her, as her story becomes the centerpiece in a high-stakes political battle to outlaw 'sex for water' nationwide.

This logline reflect our current narrative direction and may evolve as filming continues.

Why Now?

This story is not just relevant; it is unfolding at a critical legislative flashpoint. The fight against "sex for water" has moved from the streets to the halls of power, and we have a limited window to capture this historic change as it happens.

After years of relentless advocacy by local parties (ANEW, KEWASNET) and a powerful petition signed by over 500,000 people, a groundbreaking anti-sextortion bill has been officially drafted.  

This legislative battle is happening right now.

The draft bill (informed by the very "Sex for Water" study that forms the basis of our film) is currently in the "final stages of review" by Parliamentary drafters. It is about to be formally introduced into the Kenyan Parliament by allies like the Deputy Speaker and Hon. Esther Passaris.  

This is the moment of maximum leverage. Our film will not just document a past problem; it will serve as a powerful, real-time advocacy tool to provide the visual evidence and human stories needed to push this historic law over the finish line.

CURRENT STATUS:
- 500,000+ signatures collected
- Anti-sextortion bill drafted
- Bill in final review before Parliament
- Filming in planning - Nairobi, Kenya

Synopsis

The film opens in the 2 AM darkness of the Nairobi slums, where chronic water scarcity forces Mwikali and her friend Esther on a dangerous journey to a water point. Their trek becomes a nightmare when they are ambushed at gunpoint by young men demanding sex. As Esther submits in fear, Mwikali fights back, is injured, and escapes, screaming for help as her friend is dragged away. This single, brutal event launches the film's two parallel narrative arcs.  

The first follows Mwikali’s personal, internal struggle with this trauma, which is turned upside down when her attackers return from prison. In an impossible twist, they are not outcasts but have been "reformed" and are now celebrated local "champions" who protect the very water points they once terrorized. The second arc follows her story as it becomes a key piece of evidence in a high-stakes political battle, where activists and politicians race to pass a groundbreaking anti-sextortion law in the Kenyan Parliament. The film's climax arrives as Mwikali must find a way to live in a community "protected" by her reformed assailants, while the fate of a law that could protect thousands hangs in the balance.

This synopsis reflect our current narrative direction and may evolve as filming continues.

The Protagonists

  • At 17, Mwikali was assaulted at gunpoint while fetching water at 2 AM. She fought back and escaped, but her friend was dragged away. Years later, she lives with the trauma in a community "protected" by her reformed attackers, who are now celebrated local 'champions'. Her story is the film's emotional core, a raw testimony of resilience in the face of an impossible reality.

  • A high-profile Member of Parliament, Passaris is the political force translating these stories into law. We follow her as she navigates the corridors of power, using the 500,000-signature petition and the 'Sex for Water' report to formally introduce a groundbreaking anti-sextortion bill. She represents the systemic hope for lasting change.

  • One of the young men who attacked Mwikali and served jail time. Today, he is a celebrated community 'champion' who actively protects the very water points he once terrorized. His journey from perpetrator to protector is the film's most challenging and profound narrative arc, forcing the audience (and Mwikali) to grapple with the complex nature of justice and reform.  

These protagonists represent our current narrative focus and may evolve as filming continues.

"I went to fetch water and the water vendor made sexual advances, but I refused to give in. The next day, I was denied water services by the vendor, who stated that unless I accepted his demands, I could not fetch water at that point. I opted to use a friend, who fetched water on my behalf."

— a participant in an Olympic Focus Group Discussion for the 'Sex for Water Project' in Kenya

Meet the Team

  • Yori van Gerven

    Creative Producer

    BIO

  • Daniel Herter

    Director

    BIO

  • Abby Debesay

    Story Development

    BIO

  • Thomas Fibbe

    Director of Photography

    BIO

"The World's Thirst" is the umbrella documentary project, produced by the filmmaking entity ASPECT. The series is designed to "ignite awareness, conversation, and tangible action" surrounding water, which it identifies as "humanity's most precious resource, yet its true value remains dangerously overlooked". The creators' stated mission is to "reveal the interconnectedness of global water struggles". To accomplish this, the project is built around "eight powerful, interconnected stories from around the world" that will document the hidden realities of this crisis.

The "Sex for Water" investigation, which documents the reality of 'sextortion' in the informal settlements of Kenya, serves as one of these eight foundational stories. It functions as a critical micro-study, providing tangible, human-level proof of the "hidden realities" the main series aims to expose. By focusing on how a lack of safe access to water and sanitation (WASH) is systematically weaponized against women and girls, the "Sex for Water" narrative perfectly illustrates the systemic power imbalances and human rights abuses that define the larger, interconnected global water crisis "The World's Thirst" seeks to document.

JOIN THE FIGHT

Be part of the movement to make water a right, not a weapon

SUPPORT THIS FILM

Private Donors

The "Your Body for Water" documentary is a critical exposé of a hidden human rights crisis. We are seeking private support to complete filming and bring this urgent story to global audiences. Your contribution helps us document these realities and amplify the voices of women and girls fighting for their basic rights.

(Donations opening soon. Leave your email below to stay updated on the film's progress and be notified when you can contribute.)

Corporate Partnership

We are seeking one lead corporate partner to champion this film and stand with us in the fight against water-based sextortion. This partnership offers a unique opportunity to align your brand with meaningful social impact, support groundbreaking legislation in Kenya, and demonstrate corporate leadership on human rights and gender equality.

If your organization is committed to creating tangible, positive change, contact us at INFO@THIRSTDOC.COM