Rehabilitation Project
This project is a part of our shared program with Bridge Water Project. Our team is pleased to directly share the below report (edited for clarity, as needed).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Eshitowa is a community that is located next to a local market known as Imanga. This community lies on a flat ground, well suited for the small farms of sugarcane and maize that surround every home in the village.
The community largely depends on small scale farming activities and livestock production. Sugar cane and maize are the main cash crops planted. Indigenous farm animals like cattle, sheep, goats and poultry are kept for the production of meat, milk and eggs.
Most homes have semi-permanent structures (houses) built using wood, mud and iron sheets. Others have houses with thatched roofs, built using grass, wood and mud. This difference demonstrates the various levels of income that each family has in terms of money and resources.
A large number of the people who live in this community are elderly as the young people have gone to the urban centers in search of employment.
Christianity and Islam are the dominating religions that act as a unifying factor for people in this community. In addition, the community has a set of cultural beliefs that they hold, creating a sense of respect between the young and old as well as males and females.
Women and children have the responsibility of fetching water for household use and maintaining the home. Men are responsible for building sanitation structures like latrines, bathrooms and compost pits.
CURRENT WATER SOURCE
A bushy pathway from the community leads to a spring which is 2 km away from the center of the community. The spring is protected, but runs completely dry during the dry seasons.
With unpredictable changes in weather, the community continues to live in difficult circumstances. Women especially, who are the key players in ensuring that the family has enough water for use, have raised complaints about spending a lot of time carrying water on their heads from such a far stream, causing health problems like chest and back pains.
POPULATION
The community has approximately 45 households, each containing 5 to 8 family members, including extended family members. The population of the community is approximately 360 people.
HYGIENE & SANITATION
There is need to conduct a hygiene and sanitation training for this community members (both men and women) so as to help overcome outbreaks of waterborne diseases like malaria, typhoid and diarrhea.
Most older men and women have certain unfounded beliefs concerning aspects of good hygiene and sanitation practices. Some, for instance, believe that diarrhea comes as a result of eating fresh maize and beans. This community is in dire need of a hygiene and sanitation training that closely targets the older members of the community so as to eradicate untrue beliefs.
Every household has a simple latrine in place although none could be considered well maintained or adequate for safe use. Most latrines have fecal matter that is seen around the hole. The latrines also produce a smell. The holes are not covered, allowing flies to contaminate uncovered food. Some latrines have no doors.
There are no hand washing stations in place. The community members claim to have some knowledge of when and how they should wash their hands but the irony is that they don't practice what they know.
Litter collected from the houses is thrown in the banana plantations. This simply means that there are no dumping sites meant for dumping litter. Some families have clothe lines and others don't. Those with no clotheslines dry clothes on the bare ground.
Most households do not have dish racks for drying utensils. Instead, the utensils are also put on the ground to dry allowing cats and dogs and other animals easy access to them, contaminating them.
ASSESSING THE NEED
Water is needed in this community mainly for the purposes of drinking, washing, cooking and other related activities.
PROJECT BENEFICIARIES
The project will be of great benefit to the entire community of Eshitowa when completed.
WATER COMMITTEE
An active water committee will be formed by the help of Bridge Water Project to oversee the operations and maintenance of the water system once it is implemented.
PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION
HYGIENE AND SANITATION TRAINING
The training was held at the home of one of the community members under a tree. The main aim of the training was to target the hygiene and sanitation practices in this community. Eshitowa community deeply steeped in beliefs and Culture. With these beliefs, bad hygiene and sanitation practices rampant. Most of them suffer from various diseases and they claim that most of these diseases are caused by seasonal climate change. For example in the season of first harvest of beans, they claim that when they eat the crops, they experience diarrheal disease. In reality, these episodes are caused by their bad hygiene and sanitation practices.
Clean water is important for the good hygiene and sanitation practices. Some of the issues that were tackled during the training were:
- Identifying the disease problems in the community.
- Identifying the source of the problems.
- Identifying the solutions for those problems.
The solutions identified were:
- Proper water handling and treatment methods
- Hand washing
- Use of latrines
In order to further identify the sources of waterborne diseases in the community, the members were able carry out activities which helped them to investigate between good and bad practices. This was done through studying the pictures, sorting out the good and bad practices.
Despite the fact that water is life, it causes death when poorly handled. No water treatment method is practiced in this community. Members claimed to be using water from the streams directly because of their ignorance. This lead to a discussion on methods of water treatment and its importance. They noted chlorine, filtration, and boiling as methods of treatment. They also noted that the container should be thoroughly cleaned before storing water.
Hand washing is a major issue in this community. The practice has been overlooked by the community. This called for a discussion on proper hand washing through a demonstration. A serious discussion was also had on when hands must be washed and the risks of not doing this important task.
To conclude the training, the community members learned that good practices of hygiene and sanitation will lead to a better and healthy living.
DRILLING REPORT
The drilling machine arrived at the site at Eshitoha community the last week of August. Drilling started immediately. The process was done by mud drilling. An experience of a loss of formation from 14 meters was the challenge faced. Development was done to avoid the falling of the lose formation. With the community supporting the work by bringing water for drilling, the drilling was swiftly completed to 39 metres where the first aquifer was strike. The second aquifer was strike at 48 meters .The well was then cased and flushed.
WELL PAD CONSTRUCTION
After the drilling was done, the construction team mobilized to Eshitoha community to construct the well pad. Cement, sand, bricks, wire mesh, ballast and water were used during the construction process. The community helped where necessary.The women and children participated in bringing water for construction while the men helped in the construction process. The well was left to cure for some time waiting for pump installation and handing over.
PUMP INSTALLATION AND HANDING OVER
After the curing of the well pad at Eshitoha Community, BWP staff mobilized to the site for flushing. This was done by the use of a compressor to clean up the well by airing out the stagnant dirty water to give room for the recharge of clean and safe water.
The well was completed with a new Afridev Pump. Rising main pipes and stainless steel rods were used during installation process. Faces of joy and happiness from the community members were all you could see after they received and started enjoying the services of the well immediately. "We thank Bridge Water Project and The Water Project for solving the water problem in our community after a very long time of suffering. We anticipate positive hygiene and sanitation practices in our homes."
ESHITOWA COMMUNITY DEDICATION
The community at Eshitowa held a dedication ceremony to show their great appreciation to the Martin family: Mathew, Julie, Morgan, and Anna.
As we arrived at the Eshitowa Community, we found the community members eagerly waiting for us. Janet, a Bridge Water Project staff member, translated the message from the Martin Family for the community so that they could easily understand it. The community members were really happy and appreciated the sacrifices made by this wonderful Family for their community.
"May the Almighty God bless the Martin Family and The Water Project for Supporting Eshitowa community. May He grant them life and prosperity, to support other people in the world." - Reverend Joshua.
