Rehabilitation Project
Upon completion of the project, our partner in the field reports...
A LWI Burkina Faso team member commented, "The people of the village heard of our arrival and left their work of harvesting and came to participate in this rehab. They were filled with unbelief that this well was actually being restored because the last repair man took their money but never made the repairs. They were discouraged. Now, their hopes were raised and their hearts were filled with joy. Afterwards, they brought their sick for our team to pray over them." When the team arrived, community members were utilizing an unprotected hand dug well located one kilometer away from the community 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. During the team’s stay, community members assembled a water committee consisting of six men and two women who assisted the team with the water project whenever possible, guarded the team’s equipment and provided meals for the team. This water committee is also responsible for collecting an annual well maintenance fee of $2.00 per household. Most residents are of Muslim and Animist faith and earn a living by subsistence farming and small animal husbandry. The nearest school is located one 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, Etienne Somda, with a LWI Burkina Faso contact number in case their well were to fall into disrepair, become subject to vandalism or theft.
The LWI Burkina Faso team had an opportunity to meet with forty-two year old community member, President of Community Development and farmer, Etienne Somda, who stated, "It's by the grace that comes with your name that I give this word of thanks for the church association, which has helped us to have clean water to drink. I ask you to follow closely the instructions and teaching that they have given you so that the water will always remain clean at every moment for our village. I ask you to applaud very strongly their team and their partners in the United States."
During the hygiene education, the LWI Burkina Faso 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.
