Kilela Community 2A

Project Status

Project Type: Sand Dam

Regional Program: Southeastern Kenya WaSH Program

Impact: 350 Served

Project Phase: In Service - Mar 2025

Functionality Status: Functional

Project Features

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In this primarily arid rural area, where rain is erratic at best, the 350 community members of Kilela struggle to access water daily. Their primary water source is a scoop hole that does not provide sufficient or safe water.

Field Officer Alex Koech said, "The people (mostly women and children) wake up at dawn to search for water from the seasonal Ndalani river. They walk for about 3 hours to the scoop hole at Ndalani River. They have to wake up that early; otherwise, the water at the scoop hole runs out, and they have to wait till it collects more water. The lack of water in the area has led to long queues at the water point, which at times leads to quarrels between the community members."

People in this community spend so much time collecting water that they sacrifice the time and energy they need to perform essential tasks, which leads to increased irritability at the overcrowded water source.

55-year-old farmer Christina Kyumbulo, seen below carrying water, shared, "Being a single mother with four children, I have to wake up early to fetch water for use at home. The water point is about four kilometers from my home; thus, I have to walk there in the morning when it is still dark, which exposes me to sex predators in the area. Fetching water is a dangerous affair [for me] because I no longer stay with my husband."

Long journeys alone can put people in harm's way, and once they get there, the scoop hole gets so deep that trying to find water can be dangerous.

"During the peak drought periods, the scoop hole is dug so deep and requires three people to fetch water. The scoop hole sometimes collapses, like during the last drought season when three women got injured after the scoop hole collapsed when they were inside. When the water point [is] set up, fetching water will be much easier and safer because it will be located close to my home," concluded Christina.

Children also make sacrifices. Crucial learning time evaporates as they contribute to collecting water for their families.

11-year-old James M., shown scooping water below, shared his experience. "My home is about two kilometers from here. When I arrive home, I am often sent to go fetch water at the scoop hole, which is exacting because of the long journey. The search for water is time-consuming and exhausting; thus, I cannot fully concentrate on my studies or get time to interact with friends."

"I have also developed diarrhea on several occasions, like last month when I had to skip school and stay at home while my parents sought treatment. The frequent absenteeism has negatively impacted my academic performance. The set up of a water point close to my home will ensure I have clean water to drink, and I will no longer spend several hours searching for water," he continued.

Not only do women and children have to travel extensive distances, risking their safety, but their health is also at risk, as James noted because the water is unsafe to consume due to contamination.

"The scoop hole is open to contamination from both the community members and their livestock. This exposes the residents to infections such as typhoid, amoeba, dysentery, diarrhea, and more," Alex continued.

"The implementation of the proposed sand dam project will hold enough water that can sustain the community throughout the dry season. Since the project will be set up near the community, the residents will no longer have to walk several kilometers searching for water. They will also acquire enough clean water to improve hygiene [and] sanitation in the area, thus eradicating water-related infections, such as typhoid, dysentery, amoeba, and more," concluded Alex.

The sand dam installation will also give Christina time to tend to her essential tasks like caring for her children and James time to focus on school. Instead of using all their energy to collect water, they will regain valuable energy for a chance at a brighter future.

Helping to solve the water crisis in this community will take a multi-faceted system. It requires the collaboration of the sand dam and a hand-dug well. They will work together to create a sustainable water source that will serve this community for years to come.

The Proposed Solution, Determined Together...

At The Water Project, everyone has a part in conversations and solutions. We operate in transparency, believing it benefits everyone. We expect reliability from one another as well as our water solutions. Everyone involved makes this possible through hard work and dedication.

In a joint discovery process, community members determine their most advantageous water solution alongside our technical experts. Read more specifics about this solution on the What We're Building tab of this project page. Then, community members lend their support by collecting needed construction materials (sometimes for months ahead of time!), providing labor alongside our artisans, sheltering and feeding the builders, and supplying additional resources.

Water Access for Everyone

This water project is one piece in a large puzzle. In Kenya, Sierra Leone, and Uganda, we're working toward complete coverage of reliable, maintained water sources that guarantee public access now and in the future within a 30-minute round trip for each community, household, school, and health center. One day, we hope to report that this has been achieved!

Training on Health, Hygiene & More

With the community's input, we've identified topics where training will increase positive health outcomes at personal, household, and community levels. We'll coordinate with them to find the best training date. Some examples of what we train communities on are:

Improved hygiene, health, and sanitation habits
Safe water handling, storage & treatment
Disease prevention and proper handwashing
Income-generation
Community leadership, governance, & election of a water committee
Operation and maintenance of the water point

Project Updates

March, 2025: Kilela Community Sand Dam Complete!

Kilela Community, Kenya now has access to a new water source thanks to your donation! We constructed a sand dam on the riverbed, which will raise the water table and naturally filter water over time. We also built a new protected dug well with a hand pump adjacent to the sand dam, providing the community with a safer method to draw the drinking water supplied by the dam.

Rachael (bottom right, in pink) celebrates with her community.

"We will no longer be walking far to draw water from the scoop holes because this water point is close to my home. We will also be drinking clean water that is free from contamination because the shallow well is protected," shared 56-year-old farmer Rachael Kausya.

"I will also have more time to work on my farm and take care of my livestock. I will have enough clean water for drinking, cooking and even improving hygiene at home. My animals will also have a nearby source of drinking water. I will also be able to plant and irrigate vegetables, which will improve our daily diet and nutrition."

Sand Dam Construction

The members of Kilela Self-Help Group collected all of the local materials, like rocks and sand, required to complete the dam. The collection of raw materials takes longer than the actual construction, lasting up to four months for a large sand dam. The group also dedicated their time to support our artisans with a tremendous amount of physical labor throughout the project.

Community members help with construction supplies.

First, our team drew up siting and technical designs and presented them to the Water Resources Management Authority. We then sent a survey to the National Environment Management Authority for approval before beginning construction.

Once the plans were approved, we established a firm base for the sand dam wall. Usually, this requires the community to dig all the way down to the bedrock beneath the river channel. In the absence of good bedrock, we excavate to a depth at which the ground is compact enough to stop seepage.

Establishing bedrock for the foundation.

Next, we heaped mortar (a mixture of sand, cement, and water) into the foundation, followed by rocks. We then used barbed wire and rebar to reinforce the mixture.

Once the foundation was complete, we built a timber skeleton to hold the structure above ground level. We repeated the process until reaching a sufficient height, width, and length.

Building the timber skeleton.

Finally, we dismantled the vertical timber beams and left the dam to cure. This dam measures 45 meters long and 3 meters high and took 619 bags of cement.

When the rains come, sand and silt will be carried down the dry riverbed and build up behind the dam wall. This reservoir of sand acts as a giant natural filter, and allows rainwater to seep into the ground and raise the water table. With this water, the surrounding landscape will become lush and fertile, and the well will provide drinking water to the community. It could take up to three years of rain for this sand dam to reach maximum capacity because in this region, sometimes it only rains once a year!

Gratefully, rain has already come.

Community Education

The Kilela Self-Help Group has been busy! This is the second project they have completed recently, which is a challenging achievement, as construction is laborious. Due to their efficiency, training for both projects was completed in one fell swoop!

We previously trained the group on various skills, including bookkeeping, financial management, project management, group dynamics, and governance. We conducted hygiene and sanitation training to teach skills like soap and detergent-making and improve habits such as handwashing.

We have covered health problems in the community, good and bad hygiene habits, and disease prevention. Finally, we've covered natural resource management as well as the operation and maintenance of the well.

"The new water point, which includes a sand dam and a shallow well, makes a significant difference in the lives of our children and grandchildren. Before its construction, they had to walk long distances daily to fetch water from unreliable and unsafe sources, leaving them tired and with little time or energy for schoolwork or play. The new water point is close to home, providing clean and safe water, which ensures their health is no longer compromised by waterborne diseases like typhoid and diarrhea," said Rachael, quoted earlier.

Rachael Kausya.

"With better access to water, children can focus more on their education and spend more time engaging in recreational activities, which is essential for their physical and mental growth. Furthermore, the availability of water supports hygiene practices, reducing illnesses and improving their overall well-being. This resource has brought a sense of hope and a brighter future for the younger generation."

The effort that went into completing this project impressed even our field officer!

"The Kilela Community demonstrated remarkable enthusiasm and resilience throughout their construction project, embodying a spirit of collaboration and determination. Their participation in the material-gathering process was hands-on and proactive, as members collectively sourced locally available materials such as sand, stones, and water. They organized themselves into work groups, ensuring tasks were equitably distributed and completed efficiently," shared Field Officer Alex Koech.

Thank you for making all of this possible!

January, 2025: Exciting Progress in Kilela Community, Thanks to You!

We’re thrilled to share that, thanks to your generous support, significant change is coming for Christina and the entire Kilela Community. Construction has begun on the sand dam project, bringing them one step closer to having clean, reliable water.

But that's not all—during construction, we’re also providing vital health training. These sessions equip the community with essential hygiene practices, ensuring that the benefits of clean water extend to lasting health improvements.

We’re so grateful for your role in making this possible. Stay tuned for more updates—soon, we’ll be celebrating the arrival of safe water in the Kilela Community!

Project Type

Sand dams are huge, impressive structures built into the riverbeds of seasonal rivers (rivers that disappear every year during dry seasons). Instead of holding back a reservoir of water like a traditional dam would, sand dams accumulate a reservoir of silt and sand. Once the rain comes, the sand will capture 1-3% of the river’s flow, allowing most of the water to pass over. Then, we construct shallow wells on the riverbank to provide water even when the river has dried up, thanks to new groundwater reserves. Learn more here!

Kilela Community 2A

Project Status

Community Profile

Community Profile

Report Submitted by
Alex Koech, Communications Officer