May, 2020: COVID-19 Prevention Training Update at Ndithi 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 Ndithi, 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.

We continue to stay in touch with this community as the pandemic progresses. We want to ensure their water point remains functional and their community stays informed about the virus.

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.

August, 2019: Ndithi Community Sand Dam Complete

Ndithi Community, Kenya now has access to a new source of water thanks to your donation. A new sand dam was constructed on a sandy riverbed, which will build up sand to raise the water table and naturally filter water. Community members also attended hygiene and sanitation training, and plan to share what they learned with their families and neighbors.

"We are happy to have worked hard and completed this amazing water project. The work by our hands is now visible and the project will go a long way to helping us," said Mwasya Mwendwa.

"It is a unique project which suits our needs. The community is committed to working on more projects to help alleviate the water crisis in our locality."

Sand Dam

The community members collected all of the local materials like rocks and sand that were required for the successful completion of the dam. They also provided labor to support our artisans. The collection of raw construction materials takes longer than the actual construction. For a large sand dam, materials collection could take up to 4 months.

This group really took advantage of its large membership to make a big impact this year. Not only did they finish this particular sand dam in a timely manner, but they split people up to work on another dam at the same time.

Siting and technical designs were drawn and presented to the Water Resources Management Authority and a survey sent to the National Environment Management Authority for approval before construction started. Once approved, we established firm bedrock at the base of the sand dam wall. In the absence of good bedrock, excavation is done up to a depth at which the technical team is satisfied that the ground is firm enough to stop seepage.

Then mortar (a mixture of sand, cement, and water) is mixed and heaped into the foundation. Rocks are heaped into the mortar once there is enough to hold. Barbed wire and rebar are used to reinforce the mixture.

Once the foundation is complete, a skeleton of timber is built to hold up the sludge and rocks above ground level. The process is then repeated until a sufficient height, width and length are built up. The vertical timber beams are dismantled and the dam is left to cure.

This dam measures 38.1 meters long and 4.7 meters high and took 543 bags of cement to build.

Sand dam construction was simultaneous to the construction of a hand-dug well, which gives locals a safer method of drawing water. As the sand dam matures and stores more water, more of it will be accessible as drinking water from the well. To see that hand-dug well, click here.

As soon as it rains, the dam will begin to build up sand and store water. With this water, the surrounding landscape will become lush and fertile. However, it could take up to 3 years of rain for this sand dam to reach maximum capacity.

New Knowledge

The Kamuwongo region field officer, Patrick Musyoka planned for the training in collaboration with training officer Veronica Matolo. Mr. Musyoka informed the community members on the intention to hold the training and settled on the most suited date for the activity which was communicated back to Veronica. All community members and local leaders were invited to the event by the group chairman.

This training was held at the homestead of Joyce Kimanzi, as all the members had agreed to make it their venue for the training. There was enough shade since the homestead has plenty of trees and the environment was very conducive; no external distractions were faced.

We wanted to train the entire self-help group, but some members were missing. There were a few challenges, including the fact that some members had to spend the first two days of training at the market to sell their crops and goods. Some other members work away from home and could not leave work for the training. Those in attendance were especially encouraged to share what they learned with their peers, and another review training will be held in the future.

The participation level was excellent, with the women participating the most. Topics included:

– Identifying health problems in the community
– Investigating community practices
– Good and bad hygiene behaviors
– How germs spread
– Blocking the spread of disease
– Choosing the right improvements
– Making an action plan for the village
– Handwashing
– Soapmaking

People really liked the handwashing activities. We began by demonstrating how to construct a tippy tap handwashing station, which uses accessible materials like sticks, string, and a plastic container. After seeing how easy this tippy tap is to build, each participant promised to construct one of their own back home.

After the construction of the tippy tap, everyone was taken through a demonstration on how to wash their hands. Critical moments to wash hands were also discussed, such as before eating and after visiting the latrines.

Community members said that the design of the tippy tap was unique and easy to use. It was also said to be more hygienic than other types of handwashing stations they've seen. They said that it was the best way to prevent diseases.

"I will follow all that I have learned as far as hygiene and sanitation are concerned and that way, I will help my entire family change the bad behavioral practices," said Nzambi Musyoka.

From the look of things, this group of people seems very committed to implementing what was trained. Group members present said that within a very short period they will have implemented what they had written down in the action plan because they realized that it was for their own good.

Thank you for making all of this possible!

July, 2019: Ndithi Community's Sand Dam Underway!

A severe clean water shortage in Ndithi drains people’s time, energy, and health. Thanks to your generosity, we’re working to install a clean water point and much more.

Get to know your community through the introduction and pictures we’ve posted, and read about this water, sanitation and hygiene project. We look forward to reaching out with more good news!