Sand Dam
Rehabilitation Project
In the Museesu Community of 400 residents, women and children travel up to three hours to collect water from a scoop hole, sacrificing their health and time. Without water, they can't farm, cook, clean, or drink, and trying to find the water they need to live is taking away from the rest of their lives.
A scoop hole to collect drinking water.
They have access to a well, but getting there is also a long, exhausting journey. Either way, they must decide whether to spend their entire day collecting water, so neither option allows them to thrive.
Field Officer Alex Koech shared, "People far away need to wake up as early as 4 a.m. while others who are nearby join them towards 6 a.m. They walk for about three hours to the community scoop hole before going back home towards the evening. Since most community members carry water on their backs, it has led to back aches and leg pain, especially among elderly women. They have to wake up that early; otherwise, the water at the scoop hole runs out, and queues become longer. The queue at the scoop hole is usually long, and the community members have to wait several hours for their turn. Animals such as livestock defecate in the area, which leads to water contamination, ultimately causing water-related infections. Water scarcity in the area has also caused poor hygiene and sanitation while farming has been adversely affected."
Making the journey for water.
Due to the semi-arid region, rainfall is sparse and unreliable, leaving the surrounding environment dry and difficult to manage.
22-year-old Mawia Mutemi bravely shared her experience of the hardship endured in this community.
Mawia.
"Without water, one cannot do anything because I need water to drink, cook, conduct hygiene and even irrigate my crops," she shared.
"We live in a very dry region, and as the drought progresses, the level of water in the water reduces, and the scoop holes dry up," Mawia added.
When considering the distance, it's not just a three-hour walk. It's a three-hour walk there, time spent in line waiting for a turn, and a three-hour return trip in the hot sun, carrying heavy water containers. People need to make multiple trips to collect enough water to meet their daily needs, but that is often not possible due to the distance and sheer exhaustion.
"We can only hope [to] fetch once [or] twice a day because of the long distance," said Mawia.
Mawia made the journey to the distant well.
Right now, Mawia's only dream is to make enough trips to get enough water for her family. That's what she has the capacity for in the midst of the water crisis. But with the potential for accessible, safe water from a new sand dam, things would be different for Mawia to begin to plan for her and her children's future.
"The new waterpoint will be very close to my home, and I can easily fetch water during the day," expressed Mawia.
Solving the water crisis in this community will require a multifaceted system that will work together to create a sustainable water source that will serve this community for years to come.
Steps Toward a Solution
Our technical experts worked with the local community to identify the most effective solution to their water crisis. Together, they decided to construct a sand dam and dug well.
Sand Dam
Sand dams are sought-after, climate-smart, and lasting water solutions, providing hope and resilience to communities in arid Southeastern Kenya. Think of them like giant sandboxes constructed in seasonal rivers that would typically quickly dry up after the rainy season. Instead of holding water like traditional dams, they collect sand and silt.
When infrequent rains do come, these dams catch a percentage of the river's flow, letting most of the water continue downstream to other communities. But here's the magic: the sand they collect acts like a natural filter, holding onto water long after the river's gone dry. Then, wells are constructed nearby, creating a reliable water source even during the driest times.
And the benefits don't stop there! In communities impacted by climate change, sand dams replenish groundwater and prevent soil erosion. Even during severe droughts, the consistent water supply from these sand dams allows farmers to thrive, giving way for enough food not only for their families but also to sell in local markets.
The most remarkable aspect of sand dams is how they involve the local community every step of the way, giving them a sense of ownership and pride in solving their own water shortage and managing their own water resources.
This sand dam will be connected to a dug well to make the water more accessible.
Community Education & Ownership
Hygiene and sanitation training are integral to our water projects. Training is tailored to each community's specific needs and includes key topics such as proper water handling, improved hygiene practices, disease transmission prevention, and care of the new water point. Safe water and improved hygiene habits foster a healthier future for everyone in the community. Encouraged and supported by the guidance of our team, a water user committee representative of the community's diverse members assumes responsibility for maintaining the water point, often gathering fees to ensure its upkeep.
