Project Status



Project Type:  Sand Dam

Regional Program: Southeastern Kenya WaSH Program

Impact: 500 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - Sep 2016

Functionality Status:  Functional

Last Checkup: 08/21/2024

Project Features


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Community Profile

This project is a part of our shared program with Africa Sand Dam Foundation. Our team is pleased to directly share the below report (edited for clarity, as needed).

Welcome to the Community

Kiluta Self-Help Group is from Matiliku Village of Makueni County. 1500 people live in this area, but only 26 members are part of the self-help group. The Kiluta Self-Help Group is in its second year of helping their community by implementing water projects and receiving farming aid through ASDF and TWP. In its first year, the group was able to construct its first sand dam and shallow well. The group has already enjoyed the benefits of the first sand dam constructed! (Editor’s Note: While this many people may have access on any given day, realistically a single water source can only support a population of 350-500 people. That's why second projects, third, and beyond are so important for densely populated areas!)

Water Situation

The sand dam provided constant, reliable water throughout last year. The community no longer has to walk three kilometers in search of water. The community has also been able to generate income from vegetables grown using the sand dam's water. The community plans to have more dams to give all of its members equal access to water. The construction of this new dam will enable more members to have water closer to home, and allow more users to get water at any given time.

Locals tote 20-liter jerrycans to the hand-dug well that was installed adjacent to the first sand dam. Once home, water is stored in pots meant for different uses such as cooking and drinking.

Water coming through the sand dam has improved a lot since it was first installed last year. The water must still be boiled before drinking, but it is expected to make even greater improvement as the dam collects more sand, creating a natural filter. The biggest issue is that this hand-dug well is still over four kilometers away for some community members; a new sand dam will bring water close to home.

Sanitation Situation

Kiluta Self-Help Group has not only benefited from a first year project, but has also benefited from hygiene and sanitation training. They learned the importance of having and using a latrine, and thus 100% of households currently have a latrine. One quarter of homes have a hand-washing station, and over half have useful tools like dish racks and clotheslines. Many of the group members are farmers, and highly value having a compost pit dug behind their homes.

Since that training, the community's awareness of health has greatly improved. Now, some families have hand-washing stations. Most have a bathing room so that they can clean up on a daily basis. Water is integral in both personal and household hygiene, so more water will provide the opportunity for cleanliness. Local farmer and self-help group member George Muthiani says, "We have seen great improvement in terms of water supply from the first sand dam. Our aim is to have more sand dams, hence more water is clean for use at our homes."

Plans: Hygiene and Sanitation Review

A refresher training will be conducted for one day, to check on and ensure that concepts learned last year are still being implemented today.

Plans: Sand Dam

The sand dam is projected to be 27.5 meters long and 4.8 meters high. It will be at a location further down the river, closer to community members who had trouble accessing the first sand dam. The area was chosen by the community, and we have confirmed that there is enough base rock and stable river banks to support a sand dam.

The self-help group is also building a hand-dug well adjacent to the dam that will give them safe access to water (click here to see the well project).

Project Updates


June, 2020: COVID-19 Prevention Training Update at Kiluta Community

Our teams are working on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Join us in our fight against the virus while maintaining access to clean, reliable water.

We are carrying out awareness and prevention trainings on the virus in every community we serve. Very often, our teams are the first (and only) to bring news and information of the virus to rural communities like Kiluta, Kenya.

We trained community members on the symptoms, transmission routes, and prevention of COVID-19.

Due to public gathering concerns, we worked with trusted community leaders to gather a select group of community members who would then relay the information learned to the rest of their family and friends.

We covered essential hygiene lessons:

- Demonstrations on how to build a simple handwashing station

- Proper handwashing technique

- The importance of using soap and clean water for handwashing

- Cleaning and disinfecting commonly touched surfaces including at the water point.

We covered COVID-19-specific guidance in line with national and international standards:

- Information on the symptoms and transmission routes of COVID-19

- What social distancing is and how to practice it

- How to cough into an elbow

- Alternative ways to greet people without handshakes, fist bumps, etc.

- How to make and properly wear a facemask.

During training, we installed a new handwashing station with soap near the community’s water point,

Due to the rampant spread of misinformation about COVID-19, we also dedicated time to a question and answer session to help debunk rumors about the disease and provide extra information where needed.

Water access, sanitation, and hygiene are at the crux of disease prevention. You can directly support our work on the frontlines of COVID-19 prevention in all of the communities we serve while maintaining their access to safe, clean, and reliable water.




November, 2017: A Year Later: Kiluta Sand Dam

A year ago, generous donors helped build a sand dam for the Kiluta Self Help Group in Kenya. Because of these gifts and our monthly donors, partners are able to visit project sites throughout the year, strengthening relationships with communities and evaluating the actual water project. These consistent visits allow us to learn vital lessons and hear amazing stories – we’re excited to share this one from partners Mutheu Mutune, Joe Kioko and Titus Mbithi with you.




Project Photos


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!


A Year Later: Kiluta Sand Dam

October, 2017

The group members have successfully planted trees on their farms. Some of which have already started bearing fruits and are earning an income for the groups.

Keeping The Water Promise

There's an incredible community of monthly donors who have come alongside you in supporting clean water in Kiluta Community 2A.

This giving community supports ongoing sustainability programs that help Kiluta Community 2A maintain access to safe, reliable water. Together, they keep The Water Promise.

We’re confident you'll love joining this world-changing group committed to sustainability!

A year ago, generous donors helped build a sand dam for the Kiluta Self Help Group in Kenya. Because of these gifts and our monthly donors, partners are able to visit project sites throughout the year, strengthening relationships with communities and evaluating the actual water project. These consistent visits allow us to learn vital lessons and hear amazing stories – we’re excited to share this one from partners Mutheu Mutune, Joe Kioko and Titus Mbithi with you.

The community surrounding the Kiluta sand dam are noticing some exciting changes. The group members have successfully planted trees on their farms. Some of which, like papaya, have already started bearing fruits and are earning an income for the groups. Secondly, there are less school dropouts because water is available for growing crops and vegetables for consumption as well as for selling. Thirdly, no pupils skip school to engage in water collection as was the case before. Also, a massive amount of time is saved on the activity of water collection.

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"The shallow well has provided us with water near our homes and as a result the distance has significantly reduced. We used to walk all the way to river Kikuu. Now we only a few minutes and we arrive here,” says Chairlady Wayua Munyao.

Their current source of water is protected unlike the open scoop holes that they relied on before. This means they are getting clean drinking water.

Rhodah Samson, Self Help Group secretary reflects on the changes she has experienced. "Walking distance to the water points has since reduced after construction of the sand dam and shallow well. The time wasted in the process of fetching water is now utilized in other income generating activities,” she says.

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To ensure a sustained observation of the hygiene trainings, a WASH (hygiene and sanitation) refresher training was conducted and our field officers who are constantly in touch with the communities observe and advise top management on areas that need further improvements for implementation. We are excited to report more development from this community in the future.

The Water Project and our partners are committed to consistent monitoring of each water source. Our monitoring and evaluation program, made possible by monthly donors, allows us to visit communities up to four times a year. Read more about our program and how you can help.


Navigating through intense dry spells, performing preventative maintenance, conducting quality repairs when needed and continuing to assist community leaders to manage water points are all normal parts of keeping projects sustainable. The Water Promise community supports ongoing sustainability programs that help Kiluta Community 2A maintain access to safe, reliable water.

We’d love for you to join this world-changing group committed to sustainability.

The most impactful way to continue your support of Kiluta Community 2A – and hundreds of other places just like this – is by joining our community of monthly givers.

Your monthly giving will help provide clean water, every month... keeping The Water Promise.


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