Thonoa Community 2A

June, 2023: Thonoa Community Sand Dam Complete!

We are happy to share this report of this incredible work constructed in 2022, which now has all the final project pieces complete. This has allowed the community of Thonoa, Kenya, access to a new water source! Thank you. We constructed a new sand dam on the riverbed, which will build up sand to raise the water table and naturally filter water over time. We also built a new hand-dug well with a hand pump adjacent to the sand dam, providing the community with a safer method to draw drinking water supplied by the dam.

"The previous water sources were insufficient, leading to long queues at the water point. The waterpoint is minutes away from my home; thus, I will no longer have to walk several kilometers to fetch water," said 15-year-old Eric M.

"My academic performance will improve, and I will be able to attend a better secondary school because I will have more time to study and play with my friends. My personal hygiene will also improve because there is sufficient water. In the past, washing my garments or bathing was an occasional ordeal because water had to be used sparingly, which negatively affected my concentration in class and [my] self-esteem," concluded Eric.

Enjoying clean water!

40-year-old farmer Joseph Kyule shared, "We will now have enough clean water within the community to conduct personal hygiene and sanitation, drink, cook, and irrigate our crops. It will offer enough water for irrigating our crops, thus improving yields and fostering food security. I will also have more time to focus on farming because I no longer have to queue at the previous water sources that could not satisfy the entire community."

The well attached to the sand dam where community members collect water.

Sand Dam Construction Process

The members of Ndithi Tuinuke Self-Help Group collected all of the local materials, like rocks and sand, required to complete the dam. The collection of raw materials takes longer than the actual construction, lasting up to four months for a large sand dam. The group also dedicated their time and energy to support our artisans with physical labor throughout the project.

First, our team drew siting and technical designs and presented them to the Water Resources Management Authority. We also sent a survey to the National Environment Management Authority for approval before we began construction.

Once the plans were approved, we established firm bedrock at the base of the sand dam wall. In the absence of good bedrock, we excavate to a depth at which the ground is compact enough to stop seepage.

Next, we mixed and heaped mortar (a mixture of sand, cement, and water) into the foundation, followed by rocks once there was enough mortar. We then used barbed wire and rebar to reinforce the mixture.

Community members help with construction.

Once the foundation was complete, we built a timber skeleton to hold the sludge and rocks above ground level. Once our first layer dried, we repeated the process until reaching a sufficient height, width, and length.

Finally, we dismantled the vertical timber beams and left the dam to cure. This dam measures 37 meters long and 2 meters high and took 677 bags of cement to build.

The completed dam.

As soon as it rains, the dam will build up sand and store water. With this water, the surrounding landscape will become lush and fertile, and the well will provide drinking water to the community. It could take up to three years of rain for this sand dam to reach maximum capacity because in this region, sometimes it only rains once a year!

The completed dam.

New Knowledge

Our trainer conferred with the field staff about their previous household visits and interviews with community members to determine which topics the community could improve upon.

As we’ve worked with this Self-Help Group in the past, we asked them about the subjects they most needed refresher training on.

We trained the group on various skills, including bookkeeping, financial management, project management, group dynamics, and governance. We also conducted hygiene and sanitation training to teach skills like soap- and detergent-making and improve behaviors such as handwashing.

We also touched on health problems in the community, good and bad hygiene behaviors, the spread and prevention of disease, and sanitation improvements. Finally, we covered natural resource management and the operation and maintenance of the sand dam.

Learning together.

The session on water purification provoked an interesting discussion among the participants.

"One of the group members who is a member of the ‘Kavonokya sect’ asked for advice on what method of water treatment can members of that sect use to make water safe for drinking. Their faith does not allow them to go to the hospital or use medicines; they only pray and get healed by faith. Members of this sect form a sizable population in parts of Kitui County. This brought up a heated debate among the other group members, who advised her to embrace water treatment to prevent diseases. She was advised to use SODIS (solar water purification) and boiling methods, which they termed, are natural methods whereby you do not use [a] medicine," shared field officer Alex Koech.

Learning to make soap.

“The refresher training has helped us to remember the contents on hygiene and sanitation that we learned last year. I have learned how to treat drinking water using simple methods like moringa seeds (a drought-resistant tree sporting antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties) and boiling. I have also learned how to keep my latrine clean to prevent flies and bad odor. The soap-making training will help the group to generate more income through soap sales. We are happy and grateful for the support," said 53-year-old farmer Kivunda Nthambi.

Kivunda.

Conclusion

This project required a substantial collaboration between our staff, our in-country teams, and the community members. When an issue arises concerning the sand dam, the group members are equipped with the necessary skills to rectify the problem and ensure it works appropriately. However, if the issue is beyond their capabilities, they can contact their local field officers to assist them.

Also, we will continue to offer them unmatchable support as a part of our monitoring and maintenance program. We walk with each community, problem-solving together when they face challenges with functionality, seasonality, or water quality. Together, all these components help us strive for enduring access to reliable, clean, and safe water for this community.

With your contribution, one more piece has been added to a large puzzle of water projects. In Kenya, Uganda, and Sierra Leone, we’re working toward complete coverage. That means reliable, maintained water sources within a 30-minute round trip for each community, household, school, and health center. With this in mind, search through our upcoming projects to see which community you can help next!

Thank you for making all of this possible!