When the team arrived, 400 community members were depending on an unprotected spring to meet all of their water needs. Because of this and the community’s practice of open defecation, families were suffering from dysentery, typhoid, and malaria among other preventable water-related illnesses. Most residents here practice subsistence farming to support their families.
We installed new rods, riser main, drop pipe, cylinder, and chain. These new parts are all made of stainless steel.
The well has a total depth of 37 meters with a static water level of 7 meters.
Not only did the team restore clean water to Besserke, but they also brought important information on hygiene and sanitation. They taught about 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 an Oral Rehydration Solution. All of these lessons were taught in a participatory method to help community members discover ways to improve their hygiene and sanitation choices and implement community-driven solutions.
During the team’s stay, community members assembled a water committee consisting of 4 men and 4 women who assisted the team with the water project whenever possible. This water committee is also responsible for helping maintain the well after the team leaves the area and who are responsible for collecting an annual well maintenance fee of $0.50 USD per person.