Project Status



Project Type:  Dug Well and Hand Pump

Regional Program: Southeastern Kenya WaSH Program

Impact: 500 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - Sep 2016

Functionality Status:  Functional

Last Checkup: 08/21/2024

Project Features


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Community Profile

This project is a part of our shared program with Africa Sand Dam Foundation. Our team is pleased to directly share the below report (edited for clarity, as needed).

Welcome to the Community

Kiluta Self-Help Group is from Matiliku Village of Makueni County. 1500 people live in this area, but only 26 members are part of the self-help group. The Kiluta Self-Help Group is in its second year of helping their community by implementing water projects and receiving farming aid through ASDF and TWP. In its first year, the group was able to construct its first sand dam and shallow well. The group has already enjoyed the benefits of the first sand dam constructed! (Editor’s Note: While this many people may have access on any given day, realistically a single water source can only support a population of 350-500 people. That’s why second projects, third, and beyond are so important for densely-populated areas!)

Water Situation

The sand dam and hand-dug well provided constant, reliable water throughout last year. Most community members no longer have to walk three kilometers in search of water. The community has also been able to generate income from vegetables grown using the sand dam’s water. The community plans to have more dams to give all of its members equal access to water. The construction of this new hand-dug well will enable more members to have water closer to home, and allow more users to get water at any given time.

But as of now, locals tote 20-liter jerrycans to the hand-dug well that was installed adjacent to the first sand dam. Once home, water is stored in pots meant for different uses such as cooking and drinking. If a woman and her children are able to fetch enough water, it is consolidated into a larger reservoir at home (such as the 100-liter plastic barrel seen at Terressia's home, which can be seen in the pictures below).

Water coming through the sand dam has improved a lot since it was first installed last year. The water must still be boiled before drinking, but it is expected to make even greater improvement as the dam collects more sand, creating a natural filter. The biggest issue is that this hand-dug well is still over four kilometers away for some community members; a new hand-dug well will bring water close to home.

Sanitation Situation

Kiluta Self-Help Group has not only benefited from a first year project, but has also benefited from hygiene and sanitation training. They learned the importance of having and using a latrine, and thus 100% of households currently have a latrine. One quarter of homes have a hand-washing station, and over half have useful tools like dish racks and clotheslines. Many of the group members are farmers, and highly value having a compost pit dug behind their homes.

Since that training, the community’s awareness of health has greatly improved. Now, some families have hand-washing stations. Most have a bathing room so that they can clean up on a daily basis. Water is integral in both personal and household hygiene, so more water will provide the opportunity for cleanliness. Local farmer and self-help group member George Muthiani says, "We have seen great improvement in terms of water supply from the first sand dam. Our aim is to have more sand dams, hence more water is clean for use at our homes."

Plans: Hygiene and Sanitation Training

A refresher training will be conducted for one day, to check on and ensure that concepts learned last year are still being implemented today.

Plans: Hand-Dug Well Construction

The self-help group is digging this well adjacent to a sand dam they'll be constructing at the same time (click here to check out the sand dam project). The hand-dug well will give locals access to cleaner, safer water as the sand dam matures. Sand dam maturity is based on the amount of sand a dam has collected; sand that raises the water table and naturally filters that water.

The construction process is expected to take one month. The well will be lined with concrete and fitted with an Afridev pump. We will monitor the well's functionality using mWater monitoring software, ensuring that it doesn't stop providing the Kiluta Self-Help Group and their community with safe water.

Project Updates


June, 2020: COVID-19 Prevention Training Update at Kiluta Community

Our teams are working on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Join us in our fight against the virus while maintaining access to clean, reliable water.

We are carrying out awareness and prevention trainings on the virus in every community we serve. Very often, our teams are the first (and only) to bring news and information of the virus to rural communities like Kiluta, Kenya.

We trained community members on the symptoms, transmission routes, and prevention of COVID-19.

Due to public gathering concerns, we worked with trusted community leaders to gather a select group of community members who would then relay the information learned to the rest of their family and friends.

We covered essential hygiene lessons:

- Demonstrations on how to build a simple handwashing station

- Proper handwashing technique

- The importance of using soap and clean water for handwashing

- Cleaning and disinfecting commonly touched surfaces including at the water point.

We covered COVID-19-specific guidance in line with national and international standards:

- Information on the symptoms and transmission routes of COVID-19

- What social distancing is and how to practice it

- How to cough into an elbow

- Alternative ways to greet people without handshakes, fist bumps, etc.

- How to make and properly wear a facemask.

During training, we installed a new handwashing station with soap near the community’s water point,

Due to the rampant spread of misinformation about COVID-19, we also dedicated time to a question and answer session to help debunk rumors about the disease and provide extra information where needed.

Water access, sanitation, and hygiene are at the crux of disease prevention. You can directly support our work on the frontlines of COVID-19 prevention in all of the communities we serve while maintaining their access to safe, clean, and reliable water.




December, 2017: A Year Later: Kiluta Shallow Well

A year ago, generous donors helped build a shallow well for the Kiluta Self Help Group in Kenya. Because of these gifts and our monthly donors, partners are able to visit project sites throughout the year, strengthening relationships with communities and evaluating the actual water project. These consistent visits allow us to learn vital lessons and hear amazing stories – we’re excited to share this one from partners Mutheu Mutune, Joe Kioko and Titus Mbithi with you.




Project Photos


Project Type

Hand-dug wells have been an important source of water throughout human history! Now, we have so many different types of water sources, but hand-dug wells still have their place. Hand dug wells are not as deep as borehole wells, and work best in areas where there is a ready supply of water just under the surface of the ground, such as next to a mature sand dam. Our artisans dig down through the layers of the ground and then line the hole with bricks, stone, or concrete, which prevent contamination and collapse. Then, back up at surface level, we install a well platform and a hand pump so people can draw up the water easily.


A Year Later: Kiluta Well Project

October, 2017

“The shallow well has provided us with water near our homes and as a result the distance has significantly reduced. We used to walk all the way to river Kikuu. Now we only a few minutes and we arrive here,” says Chairlady Wayua Munyao.

Keeping The Water Promise

There's an incredible community of monthly donors who have come alongside you in supporting clean water in Kiluta Community 2B.

This giving community supports ongoing sustainability programs that help Kiluta Community 2B maintain access to safe, reliable water. Together, they keep The Water Promise.

We’re confident you'll love joining this world-changing group committed to sustainability!

A year ago, generous donors helped build a shallow well for the Kiluta Self Help Group in Kenya. Because of these gifts and our monthly donors, partners are able to visit project sites throughout the year, strengthening relationships with communities and evaluating the actual water project. These consistent visits allow us to learn vital lessons and hear amazing stories – we’re excited to share this one from partners Mutheu Mutune, Joe Kioko and Titus Mbithi with you.

The community surrounding the Kiluta sand dam are noticing some exciting changes. The group members have successfully planted trees on their farms. Some of which, like papaya, have already started bearing fruits and are earning an income for the groups. Secondly, there are less school dropouts because water is available for growing crops and vegetables for consumption as well as for selling. Thirdly, no pupils skip school to engage in water collection as was the case before. Lastly, a massive amount of time is saved on the activity of water collection.

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"The shallow well has provided us with water near our homes and as a result the distance has significantly reduced. We used to walk all the way to river Kikuu. Now we only a few minutes and we arrive here,” says Chairlady Wayua Munyao.

Their current source of water is protected unlike the open scoop holes that they relied on before. This means they are getting clean drinking water.

Rhodah Samson, Self Help Group secretary reflects on the changes she has experienced. "Walking distance to the water points has since reduced after construction of the sand dam and shallow well. The time wasted in the process of fetching water is now utilized in other income generating activities,” she says.

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To ensure a sustained observation of the hygiene trainings, a WASH (hygiene and sanitation) refresher training was conducted and our field officers who are constantly in touch with the communities observe and advise top management on areas that need further improvements for implementation. We are excited to report more development from this community in the future.

The Water Project and our partners are committed to consistent monitoring of each water source. Our monitoring and evaluation program, made possible by monthly donors, allows us to visit communities up to four times a year. Read more about our program and how you can help.


Navigating through intense dry spells, performing preventative maintenance, conducting quality repairs when needed and continuing to assist community leaders to manage water points are all normal parts of keeping projects sustainable. The Water Promise community supports ongoing sustainability programs that help Kiluta Community 2B maintain access to safe, reliable water.

We’d love for you to join this world-changing group committed to sustainability.

The most impactful way to continue your support of Kiluta Community 2B – and hundreds of other places just like this – is by joining our community of monthly givers.

Your monthly giving will help provide clean water, every month... keeping The Water Promise.