Project Status



Project Type:  Borehole Well and Hand Pump

Program: Wells for Rwanda

Impact: 500 Served

Project Phase: 
Community Managed
Implementing Partner Monitoring Data Unavailable
Initial Installation: Dec 2012

Project Features


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Community Profile

Upon completion of the project, our partner in the field reports...

The site was picked by LWI staff with district Engineer and local leader. They picked the site because of high needs of water in that village. The local leader was consulted along with the cell leaders in that village. The leader in that village is the one in charge of the community under the control of cell's leader. It was visited three days before the drilling team arrived to start the process of drilling. The sustainability coordinator of LWI visited the site. Many issues were discussed in order for the well to be maintained by the community after installation of the pump. The community agreed to sign an MOU. However, the community did not sign, because that village doesn't have any electricity. Because of this, they will not upgrade the pump into an electrical pump. The sustainability coordinator has a plan to work together with the community to put a committee in place to take care of the well and to contribute money in the event that any repairs must be made to the well. It was a beautiful story of how God provides water where there has been no clean water source prior to LWI. When the team arrived, community members were utilizing an unprotected spring located one kilometer away from the community to meet all of their water needs. Because of this, families were suffering from typhoid and malaria. The LWI Rwanda team was pleased to learn of the community’s use of a covered pit latrine as this will help prevent further spread of disease in the area. Most community members are Catholic and earn a living by farming. The nearest school is located 1.5 kilometers away from the community whose students, teachers and administrative personnel al have access to the new, safe water source. Before leaving the community, the team provided a community leader and farmer with a LWI Rwanda contact number in case their well were to fall into disrepair, become subject to vandalism or theft.

The LWI Rwanda team had an opportunity to meet with thirty-eight year old community member and farmer, Sekondine Mukandekezi, who stated, "The old water was a challenge for our community. Thanks to LWI, we now have clean water source and can improve our hygiene."

During the hygiene education, the LWI Rwanda team addresses: Hand washing, how to properly transport and store water, disease transmission and prevention, how to maintain proper care of the pump, as well as signs and symptoms of dehydration and how to make Oral Rehydration Solution. All of these lessons are taught in a participatory method to help community members discover ways to improve their hygiene and sanitation choices, and implement community driven solutions.

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Project Type

Abundant water is often right under our feet! Beneath the Earth’s surface, rivers called aquifers flow through layers of sediment and rock, providing a constant supply of safe water. For borehole wells, we drill deep into the earth, allowing us to access this water which is naturally filtered and protected from sources of contamination at the surface level. First, we decide where to drill by surveying the area and determining where aquifers are likely to sit. To reach the underground water, our drill rigs plunge through meters (sometimes even hundreds of meters!) of soil, silt, rock, and more. Once the drill finds water, we build a well platform and attach a hand pump. If all goes as planned, the community is left with a safe, closed water source providing around five gallons of water per minute! Learn more here!