Project Status



Project Type:  Well Rehab

Program: Water for Sierra Leone

Impact: 500 Served

Project Phase:  Decommissioned

Project Features


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Community Profile

This project was implemented by another partner, but is now monitored and maintained by The Water Project together with Mariatu's Hope.

A Sierra Leone team member stated, "The people in this community struggled with water problems for a very long time. There has been an outbreak of cholera in this district and chiefdom with several people dying. The people of this community were using a rope and a rubber bucket to collect water for such a long time. Seeing what the well looked like prior to the well rehab to what it looks like now and the joy on the faces of the people was just priceless. Such a big difference!"

The community had been using an unprotected hand dug well to meet all of their water needs. Because of this and the community's practice of open defecation, families were suffering from cholera, dysentery, typhoid, malaria and respiratory illnesses. During the team’s stay, community members assembled a water committee consisting of five men and five women who assisted the team with the water project whenever possible, provided any materials they had available, made food for the team and provided security over the water project during the night. Most community members earn a living by working for the local government, fishing, teaching, petty trading, making palm wine and practicing other skilled trades. The nearest school is located .01 of a kilometer away from the community whose students, teachers and administrative personnel all have access to the new, safe water source. Before leaving the community, the team provided community member, Sullaiman Koroma, with a contact number in case their well were to fall into disrepair, become subject to vandalism or theft.

The Sierra Leone team had an opportunity to meet with thirty-five year old community member and trader, Ramatu Kamara, who stated, "I am happy to have this well rehabilitated. We have had to buy water to drink which is too expensive and we have had to walk too far to fetch water. Drinking the water from this well made us sick. I am so happy and so thankful to have this well worked on and sealed up with a new hand pump and clean, pure water. Thank you Jesus!"

During the hygiene education, the Sierra Leone 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. After the hygiene education, the community constructed a fence around the well site to keep livestock and other wild animals away from their clean water source.

Project Updates


December, 2017: New Intervention in Kitonki Community

The initial project in this community (seen in the reporting found on this page) is a display of our shared commitment to helping this community with first time water access. Equally as important to the community and The Water Project is ongoing support to make sure that water is reliable, day after day, year after year. This is why we monitor all our projects. Over time we’ve found that the water table has dropped in this area, limiting the intended benefit of this well. Though not common, this does happen from time to time.  

Because of our commitment to people in this community (and the lasting impact that our supporters want to make), we’ve drilled this well deeper in order to access a deeper, higher yield aquifer. This work will ensure that clean water is accessible here year round. To see that work, click here.




Project Photos


Project Type

Well rehabilitation is one of the most cost effective ways to bring clean, safe water to a community.  Sometimes it involves fixing a broken hand pump, other times it means sealing a hand dug well to prevent it from being contaminated.  These repairs, and often time total replacements, coupled with sanitation and hygiene training make a huge impact in communities.


Sponsors


1 individual donors