The Water Project’s WaSH program in Western Kenya aims to access, protect, filter, and purify the abundant waters that are available through two seasonal rains, prevalent springs, high water tables, and deep aquifers in the region. Explore water projects in communities, schools, and churches in Western Kenya such as protected springs, rainwater catchment systems, and water wells. This program emphasizes the power of strategic geographical saturation of projects, effective hygiene and sanitation training, and relational networking between NGOs, health workers, local politicians, and educators.
Springs are water sources that come from deep underground, where the water is filtered through natural layers until it is clean enough to drink. Once the water pushes through the surface of the Earth, however, outside elements like waste and runoff can contaminate the water quickly. We protect spring sources from contamination with a simple waterproof cement structure surrounding layers of clay, stone, and soil. This construction channels the spring’s water through a discharge pipe, making water collection easier, faster, and cleaner. Each spring protection also includes a chlorine dispenser at the waterpoint so community members can be assured that the water they are drinking is entirely safe.
Learn more about how spring protection works here!
Rehabilitation Project
Rehabilitation is not just fixing a pump - it’s total community re-engagement.
There’s only one thing we can think of that might be worse than not having safe water: having safe water, and then losing it because a project fell into disrepair.
Rehabilitation often proves to be a big challenge, as many wells have sit idle for years and there is typically little information about the specifics of the well. A borehole and dug well rehabilitation involves quite a bit of discovery. First, our teams work to discover as much as they can about the initial project. What materials were used? Was the borehole/protected dug well properly constructed? Many of these questions can only be answered by diving in, and doing “the work” which makes up a rehabilitation.
Once our teams have found the problem, they find the solution. Then, they reconstruct the well and install a hand pump.
Engagement and training with communities takes into account rehabilitation was needed and alters the program to suit the needs of the community. After all - engaging with this community in the same way which led to the initial, failed project will not bring new results. Our teams work to understand the social and support reasons leading to initial failure, and make those areas a focus of our ongoing engagement with communities.
Local Leadership
Water projects last because of local leaders. They help us understand the realities on the ground and carry our shared goals to their neighbors. The Water Project identifies and partners with local organizations that share our commitment to water that is reliable, verifiable, and clean. Together we build solutions that belong to the community and keep watch over them for years to come. Your partnership makes that lasting, local work possible.
Community Engagement
The communities we serve are partners in the project, not recipients of it. Long before a single pipe is laid, we sit down with community members to build relationships, plan the project together, agree on how the water point will be managed, and prepare for the ongoing costs of keeping it running. The people who will use the water hold a leading seat at the table. Every project takes real collaboration among many stakeholders, and at each step we hold to the values your partnership makes possible: reliability, relationship, and trust.
Sanitation Platform (SanPlat)
Easily made latrine slabs encourage household bathroom construction.
Proper hygiene and sanitation facilities go hand-in-hand with access to clean, reliable water.
A SanPlat is most literally the slab one would squat over when utilizing the bathroom.
The community chooses 5 households to receive SanPlats made on site under our training and guidance. The goal: seeing the need for safe latrines throughout their community, each household will be inspired to build their own.
Hygiene and Sanitation Training
For many communities, water is only the beginning. When every drop has to be rationed, the things that keep people healthy, like bathing, cleaning, and handwashing, fall away, and where school was out of reach, the basics usually taught in health class were never learned. Water alone can't solve this, which is why your gift also funds hands-on training in every community, school, and health center we serve. We tailor each session to the region, but always cover the essentials: safe water handling and storage, personal and environmental hygiene, how disease spreads, how to form and run a water user committee, and how to operate and maintain the new water point. The goal is simple: to put people back in charge of their own health, so growth and development can begin.
Monitoring and Resolution
Across sub-Saharan Africa, too many wells fall into disrepair and are left behind. Reliability is the true measure of our work, so our commitment does not end when a project is finished. Water can only improve a life if it is there every time, and it can take only one sip of unsafe water to undo months of good health. That is why we measure downtime in hours, not days or weeks, and why every hour a water point is down matters. We monitor every project we have completed to keep the water running. Many donors sustain this work through The Water Promise, a community of monthly partners who keep water flowing long after installation day.
We’re working hard to make sure your gifts result in a lasting water project for the community it serves. Our engagement with a community begins many months before construction and lasts years after construction. The timeline here is focused on the physical construction of the water project. There is also training and engagement work that has already started.
Water project construction in the developing world is hard work. A lot of things can and do cause delays - which are normal. We attempt to make our best judgment of when construction will be complete, but the circumstances surrounding actual "in the field" conditions are far from our control.
Weather, supply availability, government paperwork, and progress of community involvement are just a few of the variables that can delay (and sometimes speed up) a project's completion.
We will always tell you if anything changes. And, if you get a notice like this – it’s actually further proof your gifts are being carefully used towards a water project that lasts.
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Report Submitted by Lillian Achieng', Field Officer
Lillian is motivated to help people gain access to clean and safe water after experiencing the impact of dirty water first hand. Her desire is to see clean water sources brought closer to communities so people do not have to travel long distances to fetch water, like she did as a child.
Lillian has been a Field Officer since 2018, with WeWaSaFo, The Water Project's trusted partner in our Western Kenya WaSH Program.
It takes about 40 minutes to get to Shihungu Community from our Kakamega County office. The journey isn't bad because the roads on the way are in good condition. It was hot and sunny when we arrived in Shihungu, which is a quickly developing rural area.
Some 200 people living here do not have clean water. Their water source is an open spring that pools to the surface just off the main road leading into the community. To make it easier to fetch water, community members fixed a pipe so that water will funnel right into their containers.
There's lots of water here, but it's dirty. It's also a very bushy spot that only allows two people to stand by the spring at a time. All of the time it takes to fetch water severely limits people's other important educational and economic endeavors.
And without access to clean water, this vulnerable population is exposed to deadly waterborne illnesses.
"It is difficult to have a thriving economy when fresh water is not easily accessible for domestic use, farming, and individual use. A lack of fresh water also affects workers' productivity by causing illnesses where people will use a lot of money visiting hospitals - which affects them economically," said Mr. George Nyongesa.
Community members need good health to provide for their families. Most are farmers who specialize in maize and sugarcane. Many young adults have invested in motorbikes that they use for taxi businesses.
This community neighbors Shikusa GK Prison, where inmates farm the crops that are sent to all the other prisons in Kenya. It is by St. Anne's Academy, which produces the best primary students in Kenya. It is also right by Lubao Market, which is known for selling dogs and cats. If anybody is in need of a pet dog or cat, they will go there.
What we can do:
Training
"The matter of having toilets is crucial to creating a strong economy as well as improving health, and protecting people’s safety and dignity, particularly for women and girls," said Mrs. Sarah Shihungu.
"We need to be educated on the importance of sanitation and hygiene because we do not know much of why we should have toilets and bathrooms, so your presence and help in our community will be of great achievement in our community."
Only one Shihungu household has a place to wash hands by their bathroom. According to the majority, hands should only be washed before and after eating.
Community members will attend hygiene and sanitation training for at least two days. This training will ensure participants have the knowledge they need about healthy practices and their importance. The facilitator plans to use PHAST (Participatory Hygiene and Sanitation Transformation), CLTS (Community-Led Total Sanitation), ABCD (Asset-Based Community Development), group discussions, handouts, and demonstrations at the spring. One of the most important topics we plan to cover is the handling, storage, and treatment of water. Having a clean water source will be extremely helpful, but it is useless if water gets contaminated by the time it’s consumed. Handwashing will also be a big topic.
Training will also result in the formation of a committee that will oversee operations and maintenance at the spring. They will enforce proper behavior around the spring and delegate tasks that will help preserve the site, such as building a fence and digging proper drainage. The fence will keep out destructive animals, and the drainage will keep the area’s mosquito population at a minimum.
Sanitation Platforms
Fewer than 10% of families using Shihungu Spring have a private place to use the bathroom. The few latrines we saw are in poor condition.
On the final day of training, participants will select five families that should benefit from new concrete latrine floors.
Training will also inform the community and selected families on what they need to contribute to make this project a success. They must mobilize locally available materials, such as bricks, clean sand, hardcore, and ballast. The five families chosen for sanitation platforms must prepare by sinking a pit for the sanitation platforms to be placed over. All community members must work together to make sure that accommodations and food are always provided for the work teams.
Spring Protection
Protecting the spring will ensure that the water is safe, adequate and secure. Construction will keep surface runoff and other contaminants out of the water. With the community’s high involvement in the process, there should be a good sense of responsibility and ownership for the new clean water source.
Project Updates
August, 2020: Through Their Eyes: COVID-19 Chronicles with Antony Shihungu Imbai
This post is part of a new series by The Water Project meant to highlight the perspectives and experiences of the people we serve and how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting them. We invite you to read more of their stories here.
Our team recently visited Shihungu Village to conduct a COVID-19 prevention training (read more about it below!) and monitor their water point, Shuhungu Spring. Shortly after, we returned to check in on the community, offer a COVID-19 refresher training, and ask how the pandemic is affecting their lives.
Antony Shihungu Imbai stands outside his home.
It was during this most recent visit that Antony Shihungu Imbai shared his story of how the coronavirus has impacted his life.
Training Officer Olivia Bomji Chebet met Antony outside his home to conduct the interview. Both Olivia and Antony observed social distancing and other precautions throughout the visit to ensure their health and safety.
Antony shows how he puts on his mask before leaving home.
At 30-years-old, Antony has dealt the pandemic touching so many aspects of his life. From losing his job to having kids home instead of in school due to Kenya's national coronavirus-related school closures, "the way of living has changed," he said.
Some of those changes Antony knows are for his own safety and the safety of others, such as the increased sanitation and hygiene measures families are practicing throughout the village.
Although Antony reported there are more water users now "because of the accessibility to safe and clean water" at Shihungu Spring, "community members have ensured that they keep social distance while fetching water. We fetch water during the day and by evening we are done. The spring has helped so much because during this pandemic we use more water than before."
Community members observe social distancing and wear masks while waiting in line at the spring.
"I bought a handwashing station for my family. We make masks for our families as we were taught during the training. We bought hand sanitizer which we also use to protect ourselves from COVID-19."
Antony washes his hands with soap and clean water from Shihungu Spring using the handwashing station he set up outside his home.
Citing the radio, newspaper, and our own team's training as his main sources of information on COVID-19, Antony noted that "the most helpful information [from training] was ensuring that every household was to install a handwashing station," followed by "being taught how to make a mask and ensuring that everyone wears a mask when going out."
July, 2020: COVID-19 Prevention Training Update at Shihungu Community, Shihungu Spring
Passing out COVID-19 informational pamphlets to training participants
We are carrying out awareness and prevention trainings on the virus in every community we serve. Very often, our teams are the first (and only) to bring news and information of the virus to rural communities like Shihungu, Kenya.
Trainer Shigali sets up a tippy tap handwashing point
We trained more than 28 people on the symptoms, transmission routes, and prevention of COVID-19. Due to public gathering concerns, we worked with trusted community leaders to gather a select group of community members who would then relay the information learned to the rest of their family and friends.
An elder demonstrates handwashing
We covered essential hygiene lessons:
- Demonstrations on how to build a simple handwashing station
- Proper handwashing technique
- The importance of using soap and clean water for handwashing
- Cleaning and disinfecting commonly touched surfaces including at the water point.
A girl demonstrates handwashing
We covered COVID-19-specific guidance in line with national and international standards:
- Information on the symptoms and transmission routes of COVID-19
- What social distancing is and how to practice it
- How to cough into an elbow
- Alternative ways to greet people without handshakes, fist bumps, etc.
- How to make and properly wear a facemask.
Handwashing
During training, we installed a new handwashing station with soap near the community’s water point, along with a sign with reminders of what we covered.
Reviewing the prevention reminders chart
Due to the rampant spread of misinformation about COVID-19, we also dedicated time to a question and answer session to help debunk rumors about the disease and provide extra information where needed.
Homemade mask tutorial
"Participants were so happy to learn that they can make their own masks without spending any coins. They promised to educate the whole village, including spring users who did not attend the training, on handwashing and mask making. They were also ready to observe the good practices that they learned which help in preventing the spread of COVID-19 such as keeping social distance, avoiding crowded places, and avoiding touching their eyes, ears, and noses," reflected trainer Shigali.
Participants pose with their COVID-19 informational pamphlets after training
We continue to stay in touch with this community as the pandemic progresses. We want to ensure their water point remains functional and their community stays informed about the virus.
October, 2019: Shihungu Community, Shihungu Spring Project Complete!
Shihungu Community now has access to clean water! Shihungu Spring has been transformed into a flowing source of water thanks to your donation. We protected the spring, provided 5 sanitation platforms to different households in the community, and we trained the community on improved sanitation and hygiene practices.
(To hear them give thanks, check out the video on the Photos tab of this project page!)
Team Leader Catherine Chepkemoi (center) with Shihungu community members
Shihungu Spring being the only source of water for this community, the participants were so happy for the newly protected spring that will help to provide clean and safe drinking water. According to people here, Shihungu Spring is a natural source of water that is second to none, even bottled water.
They believe that bottled water is not safe for consumption because no one knows the source. As for Shihungu Spring, the source is natural and they have been using it since they were young. The community members encouraged even our staff members to pass by when they go to the field and fetch the spring's water to drink.
Spring Protection
Community members provided all locally available construction materials, including bricks, wheelbarrows of clean sand, stones, and fencing poles. Accommodations and meals were provided for the artisan, too.
The Process
Women and men lent their strength to the artisan to help him with manual labor.
At first, when the construction began, the artisan had a hard time controlling the community members who came to fetch water at the spring. They came in large numbers every day to fetch water. We had to ask them to fetch water very early in the morning before the construction began each day so that the artisan could work well without being disturbed. After this, the compromise in water fetching and construction went well.
The spring area was excavated to create space for setting the foundation of thick plastic tarp, wire mesh, and concrete. After the base had been set, both wing walls and the headwall were set in place using brickwork. The discharge pipe was fixed low in place through the headwall to direct the water from the reservoir to the drawing area.
Community members help lay bricks
As the wing walls and headwall were curing, the stairs were set and ceramic tiles were fixed directly below the discharge pipe. This protects the concrete from the erosive force of the falling water and beautifies the spring. The process of plastering the headwall and wing walls on both sides reinforces the brickwork and prevents water from the reservoir from seeping through the walls and allows pressure to build in the collection box to push water up through the discharge pipe.
Plastering the wing walls
The source area was filled up with clean stones and sand and covered with a thick plastic tarp to prevent potential sources of contamination. There was a slight delay during this step because the stones that had been provided were not enough.
Children help deliver stones for backfilling
It took 2 more days for the community members to look for more stones, which delayed the backfilling just a bit. Once the backfilling was complete, it took about 2 weeks of patience for the concrete to dry.
Community members help backfill with stones and soil
As soon as it was ready, people got the okay from our field officers to begin fetching clean water. We met them there to celebrate this momentous occasion.
"I am so happy that Shihungu Spring has finally been protected after a long time," said 35-year-old farmer Mr. Simon Makutsi.
"We can now fetch water from a clean place. No [more] poor drainage which directed dirty water to the spring because [you] have made us understand why the cut of drainage is needed at the spring. Our water is natural and we thank [you] for helping us access clean water. No more worries of waterborne diseases. Be blessed!"
Sanitation Platforms
All 5 sanitation platforms have been installed. These 5 families are happy about this milestone of having a private latrine of their own and are optimistic that people will no longer leave waste outdoors. We are continuing to encourage families to finish building walls and roofs over their new latrine floors.
Sanitation platform construction with help from its new owners
New Knowledge
Together Mr. Anthony Imbayi Shihungu, a respected local leader, and village elder Mr. Francis Matwanga were tasked with organizing the training. Mr. Matwanga gave us the community’s preferred date for training, for he was very much aware of the community calendar when it comes to planting season and other big events.
21 people attended training. The attendance was so impressive and to our expectations. The village elder who is also a government representative at the village level really mobilized the community very well to attend the training, so the community was well represented at the training.
The participants chose the venue near the spring where the training was to take place, but later we changed the venue because there was no shade and the day was sunny and hot. This forced us to look for another venue outside Mr. Shihungu's homestead where the participants sat comfortably under the shade. This enabled them to be keen and attentive to the training session.
Training participants; facilitator stands in center
We covered several topics including leadership and governance; operation and maintenance of the spring; healthcare; family planning; immunizations; and the prevention and spread of disease. We also covered water treatment methods, personal care like handwashing, environmental hygiene, hygiene promotion, and many other things.
There were no challenges during the training except a small disruption which was caused by a hawk which wrestled with the chicken and got away with its chick! This made most of the participants leave the training session shouting and throwing stones at hawk which had already taken away the chick from her mother.
Mr. Simon Makutsi, one of the participants, was so sad and was forced to take the chicken and her chicks to a safe place to avoid any other interruptions again during the training. After that, all ran smoothly.
Site management training at the spring, still under construction
During the onsite training at the spring, the participants were being shown how well the spring can be taken care of by the community without damaging it. The way the spring will be maintained determines how long it will serve the community. The participants promised to ensure that the spring will be fenced, cut off drainage will be well-placed, and cleanliness will be the order of the day.
The village elder promised to take action at whoever will go against the rules and regulations that govern the spring. Every household will be responsible if their children damage the spring. He promised that whoever will go against the spring will pay some fine to repair and maintain it.
When the participants were asked why we required them to contribute the locally available materials and help the artisan during the construction process, some people still were not so sure of the reasoning. We discussed how it is important to give as a community because working together as a team promotes a spirit of teamwork and togetherness.
Not only that, but it promotes ownership and when the community owns the spring, they will maintain it very well. Then, in case of any challenge, they will feel comfortable contacting our team for help. This session was very special as everyone got on the same page of understanding and reciprocity.
Training complete!
The community members adopted all concepts from the training so well because they had a public health officer who was following up on sanitation and hygiene in the community even before the project began. Having the training was the best thing that helped them to understand that embracing good sanitation and hygiene and supporting household water treatment and safe storage initiatives to improve the quality of drinking water and reduce the transmission of waterborne diseases will improve their way of living in a positive way.
Happy to be taking fresh spring water home
"The training will change our lives and those of our future generations because we have learned a lot about sanitation and hygiene," said village elder Mr.Matwanga.
"Without proper sanitation and hygiene, I have learned that we will always be sick but now we know how [to] store our drinking water, water treatment, handwashing, environmental and personal hygiene. We will ensure that we improve and change the way we have been doing things before we attended the training today."
Thank you for making all of this possible!
October, 2019: Shihungu Community, Shihungu Spring Project Underway!
Dirty water from Shihungu Spring is making people in Shihungu Community sick. Thanks to your generosity, we’re working to install a clean water point and much more.
Get to know this community through the narrative and pictures we’ve posted, and read about this water, sanitation and hygiene project. We look forward to reaching out with news of success!
Project Videos
Project Photos
Project Type
Springs are water sources that come from deep underground, where the water is filtered through natural layers until it is clean enough to drink. Once the water pushes through the surface of the Earth, however, outside elements like waste and runoff can contaminate the water quickly. We protect spring sources from contamination with a simple waterproof cement structure surrounding layers of clay, stone, and soil. This construction channels the spring’s water through a discharge pipe, making water collection easier, faster, and cleaner. Each spring protection also includes a chlorine dispenser at the waterpoint so community members can be assured that the water they are drinking is entirely safe.
Learn more about how spring protection works here!
Giving Update: Shihungu Community, Shihungu Spring
February, 2021
A year ago, your generous donation helped Shihungu Community in Kenya access clean water – creating a life-changing moment for Newvelly. Thank you!
Keeping The Water Promise
There's an incredible community of monthly donors who have come alongside you in supporting clean water in Shihungu Community.
This giving community supports ongoing sustainability programs that help Shihungu Community maintain access to safe, reliable water. Together, they keep The Water Promise.
We’re confident you'll love joining this world-changing group committed to sustainability!
"Before the project, it was not safe for us to fetch water at the spring because it was so bushy and scary to come alone unless being accompanied by a parent."
"It also took a long time to fetch water because of people crowding at the spring."
"Now, it is easy and fast to fetch water from the spring and we do not fear coming alone. Now, our parents can send us freely to fetch water because they know it is safe."
"It has saved much time which we used to queue at the spring."
"Also, we no longer get sick because the water is safe and clean for consumption."
Newvelly with Antony, who was also collecting water when we spoke with Newvelly at the spring.
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 Shihungu Community 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 Shihungu Community – 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.
Protected Spring
Rehabilitation Project
