A Year Later: A Thriving Farm with Cattle-Rearing!

Before the sand dam and shallow well were constructed in Gideon's community, life was difficult. Since we spoke to him last year when the projects were completed, his life has improved dramatically.

"We experienced water scarcity because this is area is semi-arid and the nearby rivers are seasonal," Gideon explained. "We used to walk over five kilometers to [the] nearest waterpoint. We also lacked water sufficient water for both human and cattle consumption. Another challenge was the lack [of] sufficient water for household activities due to [the] lengthy dry seasons."

Now, Gideon invests all that previously wasted time into his farm and into keeping his family healthy.

"I now spend less time looking for water because the water point is nearby and offers a steady supply of water, even during the dry months. This has allowed me to focus on other developmental activities such as farming and rearing cattle," he said.

"It also allowed to achieve higher hygiene and sanitation standards because I get enough water to practice good hygiene practices. This has helped keep off diseases such as COVID-19."

Now that his farm and his family's health are improving, he can focus on other things, like cultivating more trees, which will help to increase the region's rainfall. "I can now plant trees because of the sand dam’s water availability, which will change my environment in the long term."