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...

A community member stated, "The woman has continued saying that she used to take the children to the health center three times a month and the doctor always condemned her for poor hygiene because they suffered from worms and diarrhea. I now know that the cause was unsafe water from that swamp." She ended by thanking the Lord for the new water point installed. When the team arrived, community members were utilizing an unprotected spring located 1.5 kilometers away from the community to meet all of their water needs. Because of this, families were suffering from cholera, 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 earn a living by farming and are of Catholic faith. The nearest school is located .2 of a kilometer away from the community whose students, teachers and administrative personnel all have access to the new, safe water source.

The LWI Rwanda team had an opportunity to meet with twenty-nine year old community member and farmer, Esperance Nyirabagesera, who stated, "We really appreciate this water well. The old water source was unsafe because majority of the community in this village used to get water from swamp."

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 Photos


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!


Sponsors


17 individual donors
MTRB, Inc.
Concordia College
PS 100 Glen Morris - Penny Harvest
First United Methodist Church
D&S Drainage Services (Aust) Pty Ltd