Ndakoni Community A

Project Status

Project Type: Sand Dam

Regional Program: Southeastern Kenya WaSH Program

Impact: 300 Served

Project Phase: In Service - Dec 2025

Functionality Status: Functional

Project Features

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In the Ndakoni Community there are 3,000 people facing a water crisis. Their only source of water is a scoop hole. Scoop holes are dug down into the earth in hopes of finding water. These sources are often contaminated, dangerous, and difficult to access.

The community at the scoop hole.

"Scoop holes easily become contaminated with pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, and parasites from animal waste, runoff, and human activity. This has led to gastrointestinal illnesses. Frequent illnesses due to contaminated water have led to malnutrition, as individuals are unable to absorb nutrients effectively and lose their appetite when ill. Ongoing health issues have led to higher medical expenses for families and strained local healthcare resources," shared Field Officer Alex Koech.

With no safe choice, the entire community puts their health at risk every day, trying to meet their basic needs.

Due to the semi-arid region they live in, the community of Ndakoni suffers from drought often, making collecting water as time-consuming as it is unsafe.

The scoop hole.

65-year-old farmer Patrick Ngungu shared his experience: "We can even wait for about 2 hours to draw water from the scoop hole because the water supply reduces like last year. There are many people who depend on this waterpoint."

Mr. Patrick Ngungu.

Mr. Ngungu spends so much of his day travelling to and waiting to collect water that he doesn't have enough time to work his farm. As that is his livelihood and food source, it severely affects his family's wellness. He shared that he often spends upwards of four hours a day to collect water. He has little time for any other life-crucial task.

Implementing a sand dam is the first step towards water security in this community.

Field Officer Alex Koech said, "Sand dams capture and store rainwater, allowing the community to access water during dry periods, reducing reliance on open scoop holes. Access to clean water will reduce the incidence of waterborne diseases, leading to better overall health for community members and lowering medical expenses. The sand stored in the dam will filter water as it percolates through, providing a more sustainable and reliable water supply."

With accessible water Mr. Ngungu can care for his livestock and farm, which means he can better provide for his family. "Water is very crucial for me because my cattle need water to drink, and I also need water to cook, improve hygiene, and conduct farming," Mr. Ngungu concluded.

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.

Project Updates

December, 2025: Ndakoni Community Sand Dam Complete!

Ndakoni, Kenya now has access to a new water source thanks to your donation! We constructed a sand dam on the riverbed, which will raise the water table and naturally filter water over time. We also built a new protected dug well with a hand pump adjacent to the sand dam, providing the community with a safer method to draw the drinking water supplied by the dam.

Patrick stands on the completed sand dam.

"Access to water will allow us to focus on development instead of spending most of our time searching for water. For me, it means I can concentrate on farming and livestock keeping, which will help improve my household income. For the children in our community, it means they will no longer miss school or arrive tired because of long walks for water. They will stay healthier, attend school regularly, and have the energy to study, giving them a better chance to achieve their dreams," shared 66-year-old farmer Patrick Ngungu.

Sand Dam Construction

The members of the 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 to support our artisans with a tremendous amount of physical labor throughout the project.

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

Once the plans were approved, we established a firm base for the sand dam wall. Usually, this requires the community to dig all the way down to the bedrock beneath the river channel. In the absence of good bedrock, we excavate to a depth at which the ground is compact enough to stop seepage.

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

Once the foundation was complete, we built a timber skeleton to hold the structure above ground level. 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 3 meters high and took 1,338 bags of cement.

When the rains come, sand and silt will be carried down the dry riverbed and build up behind the dam wall. This reservoir of sand acts as a giant natural filter, and allows rainwater to seep into the ground and raise the water table. 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!

Community Education

Our trainer worked with the field staff and community members to determine which topics the community could improve upon.

Patrick, quoted earlier, had much to say about the training. "This topic was very interesting to me because it touched on the real challenges we face as a community. The lessons opened our eyes in a way we had never experienced before. I learned about the seasonal calendar, which helped me understand when diseases are most likely to occur and what causes them. We also learned practical ways of preventing and controlling these diseases through proper hygiene and sanitation. The training taught us the importance of simple, but powerful facilities, like the tippy tap, utensil rack, and rubbish pit, which play a big role in keeping our homes and surroundings clean. I also found it very encouraging that we can use skills like making soap and latrine disinfectant to earn income both at the group level and at home."

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

The tippy tap construction session was an enjoyable experience for the participants.

"This activity entailed the construction of a simple handwashing facility outside the latrine to demonstrate how they’ll construct theirs at home. It also involves demonstration of hand washing procedures. After the tippy tap was constructed, one woman said that the infrastructure was very simple and it was very easy for women to construct. She added that by the time their husbands come home in the evening, they’ll find the work already done. One man told her that they have started doing work that is mostly done by men, and that’s why homes belong to women nowadays. Other members laughed at the discussion, finding it very interesting," shared Field Officer Alex Koech.

We covered health problems in the community, good and bad hygiene habits, and the prevention of disease. Finally, we covered natural resource management as well as the operation and maintenance of the sand dam.

Thank you for making all of this possible!

November, 2025: Exciting Progress in Ndakoni Community!

We’re thrilled to share that, thanks to your generous support, significant change is coming for Patrick Ngungu and the entire Ndakoni Community. Construction has begun on the sand dam project, bringing them one step closer to having clean, reliable water.

But that's not all—during construction, we’re also providing vital health training. These sessions equip the community with essential hygiene practices, ensuring that the benefits of clean water extend to lasting health improvements.

We’re so grateful for your role in making this possible. Stay tuned for more updates—soon, we’ll be celebrating the arrival of safe water in Ndakoni Community!

Project Type

Sand dams are huge, impressive structures built into the riverbeds of seasonal rivers (rivers that disappear every year during dry seasons). Instead of holding back a reservoir of water like a traditional dam would, sand dams accumulate a reservoir of silt and sand. Once the rain comes, the sand will capture 1-3% of the river’s flow, allowing most of the water to pass over. Then, we construct shallow wells on the riverbank to provide water even when the river has dried up, thanks to new groundwater reserves. Learn more here!

Ndakoni Community A

Project Status

Community Profile