Founder's Story
During a trip across Kenya in partnership with the Center for Pan African Affairs in Nairobi, Joseph Dallas Johnson, Jr. (JDJJ) was struck by the repeated sight of yellow containers along roadsides and village paths. He soon learned they were used by women and children walking long distances, often daily, to fetch water for their families. The reality weighed heavily on him.
On the journey back to Nairobi from Mombasa, JDJJ made a life-changing decision: to start a foundation that would help address water access and infrastructure challenges in underserved communities. Drawing on his experience working at the waste water treatment plant in Lafayette, Louisiana, he knew he could make a difference.
Joseph Dallas Johnson, Jr - Founder
He founded the Barbara Harmon Johnson Foundation in loving memory of his late wife, Barbara Harmon Johnson, affectionately called “Barbie” whose life was defined by compassion, service, and faith. Through this work, JDJJ honors her legacy by dedicating his time and energy to uplifting communities across Kenya and, one day, across Africa.
A proud member of the African American Catholic Church, Imani Temple #49 in Lafayette, and the owner of a local landscaping business, JDJJ brings both spiritual conviction and practical experience to the foundation’s mission of building sustainable water solutions that transform lives.
