Ingutho Community 1A

March, 2024: Ingutho Community Sand Dam Complete!

Ingutho Community, Kenya, now has access to a new water source, thanks to your donation! 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.

Standing next to the completed sand dam with flowing water.

"I am very happy that this water point is complete because I will no longer be walking several kilometers to the distant earth dam. I will have enough clean water for drinking, cooking, and even irrigating vegetables in our garden," said 43-year-old farmer Martha Mwendwa.

Martha.

Martha continued, "I will no longer be spending a lot of time and energy searching for water; therefore, I will focus on farming and taking care of the goats. I will also have enough water for improving hygiene at home which was not possible in the past because the little available water was used sparingly. We will also [earn] some income through water sales to fellow community members not part of the self-help group."

Sand Dam Construction Process

The members of Amani Kaliluni Women's 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.

Members of the self-help group contributed labor for weeks to make the project possible.

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.

Starting to dig the dam trench.

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 36 meters long and 3 meters high and took 569 bags of cement to build.

The sand dam filled with water.

It has rained and will continue. The dam will continue to 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!

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.

"We have learned a lot of things from this training and we will apply them in our lives and daily activities. For instance, the [making of] soap and latrine disinfectant skill is valuable to us. We will make our own, sell, and make money. We will also use the soap to improve hygiene in our homesteads. Furthermore, we will use the latrine disinfectant to clean our latrines and keep them free of odor and flies. We will put into consideration other hygiene practices and [the] installation of infrastructures that support hygiene, and through that, we will prevent ourselves from diseases. We will be hygiene and sanitation ambassadors, and I'm sure that will help improve hygiene in our villages," said 66-year-old farmer and Chairperson of the Water User Committee Rhoda Mwikali Musee.

Rhoda (with a white head scarf) was curious about the soap-making process.

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.

Mapping their community resources.

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 to use a tippy tap handwashing station to prevent disease transmission.

A session of note was when disease transmission routes were discussed. During this session, a community member shared her personal story, which Field Officer Alex Koech recounted, "She said that she personally lost her husband to cholera after he went to the market to collect some items for the family, and someone offered him some tea. Since there was [a] cholera outbreak by then, he got infected and went home. He got sick and immediately was attacked by diarrhea. She insisted that people should be cautious with what they eat and practice hygiene when handling food."

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!

February, 2024: Ingutho Community Sand Dam Underway!

The lack of adequate water in Ingutho Community costs people time, energy, and health every single day. Clean water scarcity contributes to community instability and diminishes individuals’ personal progress.

But thanks to your recent generosity, things will soon improve here. We are now working to install a reliable water point and improve hygiene standards. We look forward to sharing inspiring news in the near future!