Esther's Health Improves with Clean Water!

June, 2024

A year ago, your generous donation helped the Syunoo Community in Kenya access clean water – creating a life-changing moment for Esther. Thank you!

Last year, your gift unlocked the potential for a brighter future for Esther. Since then, she and the Syunoo Community of 350 residents have had clean, reliable water. Your contribution has made a significant impact. Thank you for making a difference!

"My health has greatly improved because I am drinking clean water that prevents exposure to water-related infections," said 60-year-old Esther Kasilu.

Before the Sand Dam Installation

Like many women in Kenya, Esther is responsible for collecting water to meet her and her family's daily water needs. Before last year’s water intervention, that task stole her time and negatively affected her health.

Community members collect water from a scoop hole in a dry river bed before the sand dam installation.

Drinking the water caused severe consequences. Many in her community suffered from waterborne diseases that created health problems, affecting their daily lives. Limited accessibility also meant people wasted time collecting sufficient water to meet their needs. The difficult journey to collect water sapped their physical and emotional energy, creating roadblocks. For Esther, in particular, it lessened her opportunity to make progress and earn a living.

"Before the construction of this sand dam, life was very frustrating because getting water was a difficult ordeal. We wasted a lot of time walking to Enziu River which is very far from here (about 7 km or 4.3 miles). We had to queue at the river only to get water from the scoop holes which was very unclean and unsafe for human use. This exposed us to water-related infections like typhoid, amoeba, and dysentery,” said Esther.

"I had to wake up early to avoid the long queues at the waterpoint, but I would still return home very tired because of the long journey. We could only draw water from open scoop holes because they were the only alternative for most [of] us but the water was contaminated. Although, I would at times borrow a donkey from a neighbor, I had to carry water on my back on several occasions which was very frustrating."

Since the Sand Dam Installation

Your generous gift last year was much more than a simple donation; it was a powerful statement about your commitment to this community and Esther’s future. By supporting the water solution, you made clean water an everyday reality, fostering hope for a brighter future.

Esther collecting water.

Reliable and clean water lays the groundwork for improved health, education, and economic possibilities, allowing people to thrive. We frequently hear from those we interview that "water is life!"

"After constructing this sand dam, life has changed a lot. I now get time to focus on activities like cleaning my house, washing garments, preparing my land, and other household duties. This waterpoint is very close to my home and I can even send my grandchildren to draw water here," shared Esther.

"It only takes a few minutes to draw water here and return home which is much faster than before, when we could spend more than half a day on drawing water."

"My health has greatly improved because I am drinking clean water that prevents exposure to water-related infections. I have also planted some vegetables on my farm that ensure my family can have a decent meal every day. I am very happy about this project. I am also no longer spending most of my time and effort on fetching water; thus, I am able to focus on farming and taking care of things at home."

The Future is Looking Bright!

A year ago, you made a difference for Esther and the rest of her community. This is just the first chapter of their story as access to clean water continues to improve their lives!

At The Water Project, we value sustainability and want to ensure that people continue to thrive. We commit to monitoring this project to ensure the water is always flowing and safe to consume. We inspect the system hardware, track water availability, conduct sanitary inspections, and collect water quality samples to identify risks. We work with our team on the ground to resolve them.

You gave Esther a crucial tool for achieving her dreams: access to clean water. Together, we can excitedly expect that with this precious resource, her enthusiasm and courage will help fulfill her dreams.

"We have [a] tree nursery that we irrigate using water from this waterpoint. In the past year, I have planted kales on my farm. This project has made [it possible for] me [to] acquire income and feed my family. The close availability of water has enabled me [to] improve hygiene and sanitation at home. My children and I are also no longer exposed to water-related infections; thus, our health has greatly improved," said Esther.

"I want to be the best vegetable farmer in our area because vegetables attract a high demand. I will continue irrigating my farm using water from this point and sell more produce so that I can purchase a generator that pumps water into my farm."

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 Syunoo Community 1A 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 Syunoo Community 1A – 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.

Project Status



Project Type: Sand Dam

Regional Program: Southeastern Kenya WaSH Program

Impact: 350 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - Apr 2023

Functionality Status:  Functional

Last Checkup: 05/23/2024

Project Features


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Community Profile

Report Submitted by
Alex Koech, Communications Officer

Water is rationed in Syunoo community. After seeing where they must fetch water from every day, this fact is not surprising.

The implications of this are far-reaching. The 350 community members find it difficult to keep up farming and livestock-rearing activities because they don't have enough water to water their crops or properly feed their animals. But unless someone in each household spends an entire day just going back and forth to the dry riverbed (a distance of 8 kilometers - almost 5 miles!), there simply isn't enough water to go around.

"The water from the scoop holes is mostly salty, making it unsuitable for drinking or farming," explained Elizabeth Musembi, 46, shown below transferring water from a jerrycan at her house.

"Water scarcity in the region has also negatively affected hygiene and sanitation because water has to be used sparingly," Elizabeth continued. "Conducting farming is also difficult because the little available water is not enough for watering crops, which has led to food insecurity and lack of a source of income during the long drought periods."

The long distance water-fetchers walk under the scorching sun exhausts them, and the contaminated water sickens them with stomach upsets, typhoid, amoebas, and dysentery. These sick and tired people are unable to focus on farming, which is their main source of income and food security.

"I have to carry water from home when going to school, which leads to [an] inability to concentrate fully on my studies," said 12-year-old Ken M., shown fetching water from a scoophole on the dry riverbed, below. "Practicing personal hygiene is also impossible."

"I also have to go fetch water from the scoopholes after school, which further consumes my play and study time," Ken continued. "I have contracted typhoid and amoeba in the past, leading to school absenteeism and ultimately poor academic performance."

With a sand dam and well closeby, the people of Syunoo will have so much more time and energy with which to dream and accomplish their goals. Their health will no longer be threatened by water-related disease.

What we can do:

Our main entry point into the community is the Kiisu Self-Help Group, which comprises households working together to address water and food scarcity in their region. These members will be our hands and feet in constructing water projects and spreading the message of good hygiene and sanitation to everyone.

Sand Dam

After the community picked the ideal spot, our technical team went in and proved the viability by finding a good foundation of bedrock. Now, our engineers are busy drawing up the blueprints.

We are unified with this community to address the water shortage. As more sand dams are built, the environment will continue to transform. As the sand dams mature and build up more sand, the water tables will rise. Along with this sand dam, a hand-dug well will be installed to give community members an easy, safe way to access that water.

Building this sand dam and the well in this community will help bring clean water closer to hundreds of people living here.

Training

These community members currently do their best to practice good hygiene and sanitation, but their severe lack of water has significantly hindered reaching their fullest potential.

We will hold hygiene and sanitation training sessions with the Kiisu Self-Help Group and other community members to teach essential hygiene practices and daily habits to establish at the personal, household, and community level. This training will help to ensure that participants have the knowledge they need to make the most out of their new water point as soon as the water is flowing.

One of the most important topics we plan to cover is handling, storage, and water treatment. Having a clean water source will be extremely helpful, but it is useless if water gets contaminated when it is consumed. We will also emphasize the importance of handwashing.

The community and we firmly believe that all of these components will work together to improve living standards here, which will help to unlock the potential for these community members to live better, healthier lives.

We typically work with self-help groups for 3 to 5 years on multiple water projects. We will conduct follow-up visits and refresher training during this period and remain in contact with the group after all of the projects are completed to support their efforts to improve sanitation and hygiene.

Project Updates


April, 2023: Syunoo Community Sand Dam Complete!

Syunoo, Kenya now has access to a new water source thanks to your donation! We constructed a new sand dam on the riverbed to 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.

"I am very happy that this water point has been implemented in our community because I will have enough water for drinking, cooking, and conducting hygiene chores. I will not be walking to the distant Enziu river, that's located 7km away. I will use the spare time to focus more on farming, and I will be able to irrigate my vegetables using water from this water point. I will also get more time to care [for] and be with my family because I will no longer be spending most of the day searching for water," said 33-year-old farmer Beatrice Mwanziu Mutui.

"I am planning to cultivate a vegetable garden that will entail kale, spinach, tomatoes, and more which will supplement my family's daily diet and enhance better health. I will also sell the vegetables to fellow community members, earning me a decent income."

Sand Dam Construction Process

The members of Kiisu Self-Help Group collected all 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.

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 72 meters long and 4 meters high and took 1390 bags of cement to build.

The dam will build up sand and store water as soon as it rains. 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 sometimes it only rains once a year in this region!

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.

The training was held at Kiisu Independent Presbyterian Church because of its central location, and attendance was as expected.

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.

A representative photo of a soap-making session.

We also touched on health problems in the community, good and bad hygiene behaviors, the spread and prevention of disease, and sanitation improvements.

During the session on disease transmission routes, the participants debated why some community members still practice open defecation despite having latrines at their homesteads.

"They all agreed to be on the frontline of educating the community on the dangers of open defecation to stop such practices," said field officer Alex Koech.

“The training was very good. I have learned how we can get sick by eating dirt. I have also learned simple methods of water treatment, which I can apply to make my drinking water clean and safe for drinking," said 70-year-old farmer and water user committee chairperson Patrick Munyoki Kiteme.

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 our target areas, we’re working toward complete coverage of 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!




January, 2023: Syunoo Community Sand Dam Project Delayed!

It won't be long now before the construction of the sand dam in the Syunoo Community is complete. As you can imagine, coordinating all the people involved is key to a great project. The field officers meet frequently with the community, and recently there have been delays in obtaining materials and slowed work due to rain. Based on the last review, the community needs a few more weeks to complete construction. We've adjusted the expected completion date for this project, and we look forward to keeping you updated as the artisans and trainers continue their work in the coming months!




October, 2022: Syunoo Community Sand Dam Project Underway!

A severe clean water shortage in Syunoo Community 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 this 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!




Project Photos



Contributors

Project Sponsor - Barbara Belle Ash Dougan Foundation