Project Status



Project Type:  Sand Dam

Regional Program: Southeastern Kenya WaSH Program

Impact: 300 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - Oct 2026

Functionality Status:  Functional

Project Features


Click icons to learn about each feature.



Community Profile

Report Submitted by
Alex Koech, Communications Officer

Agnes Mawla is one of the 400 residents in the Makulini Community whose everyday life is consumed by the water crisis. The two wells she relies on are an hour's walk away, one way. The sun beats down on her as she lugs her heavy jerrycan back home, knowing this isn't even her last trip for water that day.

Agnes at the local scoop hole, filling her jerrycans with contaminated water.

"Our biggest challenge is that the shallow wells are located far from most homes, and they serve many people. During dry seasons, the water levels drop, and the wells can’t meet everyone’s needs. The terrain also makes it hard to make several trips in a day, so we have to ration water, which affects our hygiene and daily activities," Agnes shared.

When the journey to the well is just too much, Agnes's only other option is to go to the neighboring scoop hole. This is a hole dug into a riverbed, left open to animals and waste, creating a highly contaminated and dangerous water source.

Utilizing the scoop hole.

Agnes worries about the effects on her family and community.

"I’m deeply concerned about safety at our current water sources because they are far from our home and located in a rocky, steep area. The journey is tiring and sometimes dangerous, especially when I’m carrying heavy jerrycans back home. The water from the scoop hole is not always clean—it’s exposed and can easily get contaminated with animal waste or debris. I always worry about my children falling sick after drinking it. We try to treat it at home, but that’s not always possible because of cost and time," Agnes lamented.

Agnes must soldier through her anxieties, as going without water is the only other option and is just as dangerous.

"Water truly is life. It affects every part of our day—what we eat, how clean we stay, our health, and even how well our children perform in school. Without enough water, everything becomes a struggle. With water, we can take care of our homes, plant food, care for our animals, and live with dignity. That’s why I believe water is the foundation for a better future for all of us."

Even amidst the hardships she encounters, Agnes dreams of a future where she doesn't have to travel a two-hour round trip each time she needs to fill her jerrycan. A future where her children don't fall sick, just trying to quench their thirst.

"A new water point would be such a blessing. If it is closer and protected, it would reduce the daily risks we face when walking long distances or climbing rocky hills. We would no longer be exposed to contaminated water that causes illnesses like diarrhea and typhoid, which is common with scoop holes. My children would be healthier and safer, and I wouldn’t have to worry about them missing school due to sickness or exhaustion. It would also mean less physical strain for me, especially as I get older," Agnes noted.

Constructing a sand dam will empower Agnes to seize the future she envisions for herself.

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 a protected 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 protected 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 our team's guidance, the community elects a water user committee representative of its diverse members. This committee assumes responsibility for maintaining the water point, organizing community efforts, and gathering fees to ensure its upkeep.

Project Updates


October, 2026: Makulini Community Sand Dam Complete!

Makulini Community, 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 allow the water to naturally filter 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.

Local mother and farmer Masaa Mwangangi, 42, shared, "Access to water will change our daily lives in a big way. For me, it means I will have more time and energy to focus on farming and caring for my family. I will no longer spend most of my day walking for water. For my children, this will make an even bigger difference. They have often had to help me fetch water, especially in the evenings and on weekends. This takes away time they should be using for homework and studying. With water closer to home, they will have more time to focus on their education, rest, and grow. I want my children to succeed in school and have better opportunities in the future, and I believe this water point will support that dream."

Sand Dam Construction

The members of the Makulini Self-Help Group collected all the local materials, such as 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 a tremendous amount of time to supporting our artisans through physical labor throughout the project.

The necessary wire to construct the sand dam.

First, our team developed the siting and technical designs, which were then presented 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 the addition of 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.

Beginning of the timber skeleton.

Finally, we dismantled the vertical timber beams and left the dam to cure. This dam measures 32 meters long and four meters high and took 696 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, allowing 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 the community with drinking water. It could take up to three years of rain for this sand dam to reach its maximum capacity, because in this region, it sometimes only rains once a year!

The sand dam is complete!

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

Though it was a busy week for the community, leading to lower attendance, those who did attend were ready to learn! "The group members were very active during the training by asking questions and seeking clarification on various topics. They also shared stories and jokes regarding the training content, helping them to understand the importance of hygiene. During this training, it was noted that there were a few members who had joined the group, and therefore, a follow-up after some time would be important to see the progress of implementation of the content, but one good observation was that the members agreed to have failed, but were ready for a change," Field officer Alex Koech shared.

Soap making training.

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 such as soap and detergent making and to improve habits, including handwashing.

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

Moses Ngonde.

76-year-old Moses Ngonde is the chairperson of the self-help group. He shared, "This training has really changed how I think about hygiene, both at a personal level and as a community leader. It reminded me that hygiene is not just about knowing what to do, but consistently practicing it. For example, I realized that even though we had learned before about covering pit latrines, some of us had not been doing it regularly. Now, I see hygiene as a shared responsibility that affects everyone’s health. Since we started applying what we learned earlier, we have already seen a reduction in diseases in our community. This training has strengthened my commitment to ensuring that every household follows proper hygiene and sanitation practices. I also feel more responsible as a chairperson to encourage and guide others, including the new members, so that no one is left behind."

Thank you for making all of this possible!


Update photo


August, 2026: Exciting Progress in the Makulini Community!

We’re thrilled to share that, thanks to your generous support, significant change is coming for Agnes Mawla and the entire Makulini 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 the Makulini Community!




Loading photos...


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!


Contributors

Project Underwriter - Church of St. Timothy
Thomas R. Fox Family Charitable Foundation
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church
Data Abstract Solutions, Inc.
Riverside Woman's Club
Data Abstract Solutions, Inc.
The Anne & Tyler Trueg Charitable Fund
Owen County Board of Education
Selah Covenant Church
The Foley and Fredendall Charitable Fund
B&C Brown Family Fund
Imad and Ayesha Giving Fund
Bounce Treatment Services
Tara Redwood School
Many individual donors