Rehabilitation Project
The Kituuti Ntheketha Self-Help Group in Kala Community has had an interest in working on water projects in their locality to improve water access and living standards at large. But a lack of funds prevented them from purchasing the hardware and hiring skilled labor to complete a project.
After learning about our work in other areas they sought our support in the construction of a dam. Our officers met the group and found it of good capacity and population to work on water projects.
We visited the community on a cold, rainy morning. Walking on the footpaths involved sliding in muddy areas and crossing flowing streams on our way to the group site.
The community group is found in a peaceful, rural area with significant tree coverage made of predominantly indigenous trees. The area is hilly with steep slopes making part of the footpaths and roads linking up to the area. Many households have decent houses made up of bricks and well roofed with iron sheets.
People collect water from a nearby river. The water was not clean and looked colored when we visited. Locals have no choice as there no other water sources within the area. Chances are high that the water is contaminated, exposing the community to possible waterborne diseases. It is also seasonal, meaning people will have to look for water elsewhere when it runs dry for periods throughout the year.
Community members have been exposed to rampant conflicts among themselves in the struggle for the meager water resources. As a result, the level of hygiene and sanitation in their homesteads is low due to the insufficient water supply.
"Our levels of hygiene and sanitation are way low compared to the wishes of many of our community members, lack of water and low levels of hygiene knowledge are the reasons for our current situation, by implementing water projects we hope to redeem ourselves," Mr. Charles Kimatu said to us.
The latrines we visited exhibited average levels of cleanliness. No household had water placed outside the facilities so people can wash their hands. Some of the latrines were made of permanent and semi-permanent structures. Chances are high that some latrines have been affected by the ongoing rains - leading to them sinking in the mud or falling down.
The lack of clean water sources in the village has led to locals spend much of their time in pursuit of the basic commodity of time.
The time wasted fetching water and combating illness caused by drinking the dirty source could otherwise be spent doing meaningful activities, like working, farming, or going to school. The long walks to water sources have caused substantial damage to women and children who are mostly involved in the water fetching activities.
What we plan to do about it:
Our main entry point into Kala Community has been the Kituuti Ntheketha Self-Help Group, which is comprised of farming households that are working together to address water and food scarcity in their region. These members will be our hands and feet in both constructing water projects and spreading the message of good hygiene and sanitation to everyone.
Training
We’re going to train self-help group members and their communities on hygiene and sanitation practices. Kala Community is a new group working on their first water project, so it was a pleasant surprise to find that every homestead we visited had a latrine. The majority of households had a garbage pit, and several had helpful tools like clotheslines and dish racks. We will continue to encourage improvement here, especially when it comes to daily cooking habits, personal hygiene, water hygiene and its treatment, and handwashing.
Hand-Dug Well
This particular hand-dug well is being built adjacent to this group’s ongoing sand dam project (click here to see), which will supply clean drinking water once it rains. We have supplied the group with the tools needed for excavation. With the guidance of our artisans and mechanics, the excavated well will be cased, sealed with a well pad, and then finished with a new AfriDev pump.
Excavation takes a month or more on average, depending on the nature of the rock beneath. Construction of the well lining and installation of the pump takes 12 days maximum. The well will be lined with a concrete wall including perforations so that once it rains, water will filter in from the sand dam.
This well will be located in Kala Village and will bring clean water closer to families who often have to walk long distances to find any water at all.
