Serem Health Center

October, 2025: Serem Health Center Well Complete!

Your contribution has given access to clean water for the Serem Health Center in Kenya, thanks to the completion of their borehole well! Staff, patients, and their families are already using the well’s flowing water, which will provide the health center with a reliable water source for all of its daily needs.

"Reliable water access will help in maintaining and improving sanitation standards in our facility, where we will have clean functioning toilets, proper waste disposal, and cleanliness in wards. So this will contribute to healthier healing, and a healthier environment where it will reduce time lost to illness and allow individuals to pursue education and work consistently," 36-year-old Nurse Monicah Kamengele said.

"Access to clean water contributes to overall well-being by supporting proper nutrition, preventing chronic illness, and reducing healthcare costs. It helps prevent waterborne diseases like cholera, diarrhea, and typhoid, which can be life-threatening, especially for children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems. In essence, clean water is a foundation for both immediate healing and lifelong health," she continued.

Monicah (left) celebrates clean water.

"Nurses and doctors will provide more effective and compassionate care when they have enough water for cleaning wounds, bathing patients, and preparing medication," Monicah exclaimed.

How We Got the Water Flowing

Staff and community members all contributed to this well’s success. After determining the best site for the well through a hydrogeological survey, we obtained approval from the government to begin drilling.

To prepare, everyone helped collect fine sand and water for cement-making. Our drill team and staff arrived at the center to begin work when everything was ready.

Drilling started with excitement in the air. We continued drilling to reach a final depth of 110 meters with a final static water level of 10 meters.

The drilling process can take up to three consecutive days to complete due to this region’s hard bedrock, so the drill team set up a camp where they could rest and refuel.

Once we reached the required depth, a permanent casing was installed, and the dirty water at the bottom of the well was bailed out. Workers installed pipes, flushed them, tested the well’s yield, and chlorinated the water.

After chlorination, we constructed a cement well pad to seal it off from any ground-level contaminants. Tiles were installed beneath the spout to protect the cement from the erosive force of the water.

We included a short drainage channel and a soak pit to carry spilled water away from the pump and prevent standing water.

When the well pad was dry, we installed a new stainless steel hand pump and performed a water quality test. The results showed that this water was safe for drinking!

The enthusiasm for this much-anticipated project was overwhelming. We officially gave ownership of the new borehole to the health center staff and the local community members.

Everyone celebrated the health center’s new water source. The celebration was a great opportunity to acknowledge the staff and remind them of our continued support. Happiness, thanksgiving, and appreciation were the order of the day, flowing in all directions.

Improved Sanitation Facilities

This project funded the installation of modern sanitation facilities at the health center. Newly constructed latrines now serve both patients and staff, including a dedicated, accessible unit for people with disabilities. Each latrine is built with cement floors and walls, ensuring durability, easy cleaning, and low-maintenance upkeep.

To promote proper hygiene, sinks with running water were installed alongside the latrines, encouraging regular handwashing among patients, caregivers, and medical staff. Additionally, a biodigester system was introduced to manage waste sustainably. The biodigester uses natural bacteria to safely break down human waste, reducing environmental impact while supporting long-term waste management solutions.

Biodigester.

With these improvements, the health center is now better equipped to maintain high standards of hygiene and sanitation. 

Patients and healthcare workers alike benefit from safer, cleaner facilities, which directly support the prevention of disease transmission and the overall well-being of the community.

Community Education

We scheduled hygiene and sanitation training with the health center staff. When the training day arrived, field officers Stella Inganji and Betty Muhongo deployed to the site to lead the event. 21 people attended the training.

Soapmaking session.

During our training, we covered a range of essential topics, including personal hygiene, oral hygiene, food hygiene, and environmental hygiene. We discussed disease prevention strategies, the ten-step handwashing protocol, and the construction of handwashing facilities. Additionally, we talked about safe water handling, maintenance, and operation of water points, as well as principles of leadership and governance.

The training participants.

"We only expected to have [a] few participants, but that was not the case because we had more than twenty participants, which was a shock to us. For the medical personnel to spare their time for the training was a heartwarming gesture and [a gesture] of respect. At first, we were not sure if they would sit down and listen to what we were going to teach, but all sessions were very lively and interactive. The participants asked a lot of questions concerning borehole maintenance and water treatment, which gave us room for more discussion," shared Field Officer Stella Inganji.

Handwashing session.

She went on to share about the most interesting training session, "Oral hygiene was the topic of interest, yet at the medical facility ground, we expected almost all the participants to have a better idea of oral hygiene. This was not the case, because when the facilitator was demonstrating how to brush teeth, most of [the] participants looked surprised and realized that they had been doing it wrong. It really took us time discussing and demonstrating proper brushing, which was well received, and at the end of the session, we all agreed that learning is a continuous process where no one knows it all."

Dental hygiene session.

"On the same topic of oral hygiene, the facilitator asked the participants how long they should use a toothbrush. They started looking at each other, laughing, and one of the participants jokingly said, "Until the bristles are worn out." Then, they all burst into laughter. This was an indicator that they had not been changing their toothbrushes as required, but the facilitator was able to explain the reasons and advantages of proper oral hygiene, which was greatly understood," Stella continued.

Rose Mamati.

"The most interesting topic covered today was cross-contamination and how to prevent it. I have learnt how germs and harmful bacteria can spread from surfaces, hands, or equipment to food or people, which is often invisible. Understanding this topic helps explain why specific hygiene practices like proper handwashing techniques are so crucial in human life," said 62-year-old community health worker Rose Mamati.

"After this training, I have realised that we need more training on hygiene matters, or rather, sanitation, because it's a wide topic and most people lack information. Hygiene training significantly deepens the understanding of how individual actions affect community health. Proper hygiene practices like handwashing, sanitation, and safe food handling can prevent outbreaks, reduce disease transmission, and protect vulnerable populations," Rose concluded.

Thank you for making all of this possible!

July, 2025: Exciting Progress at Serem Health Center!

We’re thrilled to share that, thanks to your generous support, significant change is coming for Vita and the staff of Serem Health Cetner. Construction has begun on the well project, bringing them one step closer to having clean, reliable water.

But that's not all—during construction, we’re also providing vital health training. These sessions equip the community with essential hygiene practices, ensuring that the benefits of clean water extend to lasting health improvements.

We’re so grateful for your role in making this possible. Stay tuned for more updates—soon, we’ll be celebrating the arrival of safe water at Serem Health Center!