Port Loko District - Northern Province - Koya Rural District

When the team arrived the community was utilizing an open, contaminated well as their primary source of water and because of this residents were suffering from dysentery and Typhoid. The community had dug an old well on their own, but could not afford to finish it, instead used a rope and rubber to draw water from the well. The well across the road had their hand pump stolen, and the community had been invited to use their open well and the stream for water. There was a high level of community involvement during the team’s stay and the community assisted by providing materials and labor whenever possible. The community was happy to have a pump on this well and were also very happy that they were no longer forced to walk across the busy new road for water. The majority of community residents sustain a living by farming, trading and preparing solar kits for the community. The nearest school is located two kilometers away from the community whose students, teachers and administrative personnel all have access to the new, safe water source.

The team had an opportunity to meet with nineteen year old housewife Kaida Fornah who stated, “There will be no more pain with pulling the water out with a rope and rubber. The well is safer now because it has a cover on it. Before, I was so worried all the time that someone would fall into the well. The water has now been protected. It will be safe drinking water for all of us. We will not be as sick. With the hygiene lessons, we learned how to keep our water clean and how to not pass disease to each other.”

During the hygiene education there were fifty-nine adults and thirty-nine children in attendance where the following principal issues were addressed: Disease transmission, Germs, Hand Washing- proper techniques and water saving methods, Healthy Unhealthy Communities, Oral Rehydration Solution, Proper care of the pump, Keeping the water clean and Good-bad hygiene behaviors. After the education the team distributed fifty-nine Oral Rehydration Solution spoons. The LWI Hygiene education team leader stated, “We were very encouraged because about half of the attendees were men and youth. The participants enjoyed the training and commented that they were guilty of some of the bad hygiene practices. They were also excited to receive an ORS spoon so they would not have to buy packets of ORS from the traders anymore. The participants were encouraged to work together with their neighbors to buy the necessary salt and sugar and to put the cup, spoon and provisions in a plastic bag and keep it in a safe place for when they need them. They were also encouraged to pass this information along to others and to help those who were suffering with vomiting and diarrhea and make them ORS.”

---

Project Photos