Rehabilitation Project
In the Yanzui Maithya Community, located in a remote area, 2,000 residents face challenges in accessing an adequate water supply. Their only available water sources require them to travel over two miles round trip through rugged and challenging terrain. This lengthy and arduous journey makes obtaining water a time-consuming and physically demanding task for the community members.
This community has worked very hard to create clean water sources together alongside The Water Project, but their job isn't done yet. They can currently use a distant well; their other option is a solar water kiosk of equal distance. Though those sources provide clean water, the difficult journey to and from them can have debilitating effects. They need an accessible water point that everyone can easily reach.
Distant solar kiosk.
55-year-old Musyimi Mwangangi has long struggled with water access. He's a farmer, so his livelihood is dependent on water, but his options are too far away, leaving his income drying up in front of him. He is desperate for water, but physically, he can not collect sufficient water to meet his daily needs.
Musyimi (right) collecting water.
"Water is a necessity to me. It is like the air I breathe, and without it, I'm no more. The distance is very long, and at my age, I can only climb that hill for only two trips," exclaimed Musyimi.
Musyimi and his family are courageously navigating ongoing challenges stemming from the lack of easily accessible water. Despite these difficulties, they remain hopeful and determined to overcome this obstacle and create a brighter, more sustainable future for themselves.
We asked Musyimi what he could do if he didn't spend most of his time fetching water. He shared his dream with us:
"I could sit quietly with my thoughts, perhaps even enjoy a moment of peace with a cup of tea. My mornings would be filled with possibility. With the hours I'd save, I could cultivate a garden, grow vegetables and flowers, and create a beautiful space for my family. The garden would thrive under my care, and we'd have fresh produce to nourish our bodies. I could even teach my children about planting and harvesting, passing down knowledge that will serve them well in the future."
Implementing a well in the Yanzui Maithya Community will provide them with convenient access to clean water, marking the start of a promising future.
Solving the water crisis in this community will require a multifaceted system that will work together to create a sustainable water source that will serve this community for years to come.
Note: Our proposed water point can only serve 300 people per day. We are working with the community to identify other water solutions that will ensure everyone has access to safe and reliable drinking water.
Steps Toward a Solution
Our technical experts worked with the local community to identify the most effective solution to their water crisis. Together, they decided to construct a dug well and sand dam.
Dug Well Near A Sand Dam
Once a sand dam is installed and has time to mature by gathering sand and silt, groundwater increases significantly in the entire area surrounding the project. This provides a reliable source of groundwater that wasn’t possible before. As a result, wells can be constructed to take advantage of the water stored and filtered in the collected sand.
During construction, we build a platform for the well and attach a hand pump. The community gains a safe, enclosed water source capable of providing approximately five gallons of water per minute.
This dug-well will be connected to a sand dam to obtain water.
Community Education & Ownership
Hygiene and sanitation training are integral to our water projects. Training is tailored to each community's specific needs and includes key topics such as proper water handling, improved hygiene practices, disease transmission prevention, and care of the new water point. Safe water and improved hygiene habits foster a healthier future for everyone in the community. Encouraged and supported by the guidance of our team, a water user committee representative of the community's diverse members assumes responsibility for maintaining the water point, often gathering fees to ensure its upkeep.
