July, 2020: COVID-19 Prevention Training Update at Mutao Community, Shimenga Spring

Our teams are working on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Join us in our fight against the virus while maintaining access to clean, reliable water.

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 Mutao, Kenya.

We trained more than 14 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Water access, sanitation, and hygiene are at the crux of disease prevention. You can directly support our work on the frontlines of COVID-19 prevention in all of the communities we serve while maintaining their access to safe, clean, and reliable water.

June, 2019: Mutao Community, Shimenga Spring Project Complete

Mutao Community is celebrating its new protected spring, so celebrate with them! Shimenga Spring has been transformed into a flowing, safe source of water thanks to your donation. The spring is protected from contamination, five sanitation platforms have been provided for the community, and training has been done on sanitation and hygiene.

Spring Protection

Construction at Shimenga Spring was successful and water is now flowing from the discharge pipe.

Mr. Shimenga, who owns the land where the spring is located, was so happy when the spring protection process was complete. He told us that ever since he was born, he has seen women and children go through a lot of challenges whenever they fetch water. In his remarks, he said that even when his time comes to join his ancestors, he will go a very peaceful man knowing that his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and generations to come will access clean and safe water.

"This project will help people access water from the spring with a lot of ease. The number of accidents and injuries people have been having as a result of slipping and falling down due to muddy, slippery paths is over. We can now move easily to the spring and get clean and safe water without any difficulties," said Mr. Shimenga.

The Process:

The community worked alongside our artisan to make this spring protection successful, gathering supplementary materials like sand and stones and making meals for the work team.

The spring area was excavated with jembes, hoes, and spades to create space for setting the foundation of polyethylene, wire mesh, and concrete.

Shimenga Spring was a more complicated spring to protect because there were many different sources of water flowing into the area, and the artisan intended to capture all of the water. The process of excavation was therefore very demanding, but once this was done the remaining process carried on with ease.

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.

As the wing walls and headwall cured, the stairs were set and ceramic tiles were fixed directly below the discharge pipe.

The ceramic tiles installed under the discharge pipe protect the concrete from the erosive force of the falling water and beautify 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.

The concrete dried over the course of five days, during which a community member wetted the concrete to make sure it would dry without cracking. The source area was filled up with clean stones and sand and covered with a polyethylene membrane to eliminate any potential sources of contamination.

After the backfilling was done at the reservoir area, the community members were already waiting and ready with poles and nails to help the artisan fence in the area.

Sanitation Platforms

All five sanitation platforms have been installed and make wonderful, easy to clean latrine floors. These five families are happy about this milestone of having a latrine of their own. We will continue to encourage them to finish building walls and roofs over their new latrine floors as we visit for monitoring and evaluation.

New Knowledge

The village elder was mandated to go around the village to ensure that each household in the community would be represented in the training. Attendance was wonderful. The area member of the county assembly, Madam Gladys Mukongolo, is really trying to improve Mutao Village in terms of development - and this was one factor that affected the attendance positively.

Hygiene and sanitation training took place at Mr. Shimenga's homestead near the spring, where it was spacious enough to accommodate participants.

Participants learned about:

– Leadership and governance for the spring committee
– Management and maintenance of the spring

During this topic, the facilitator took the participants through a list of activities they should undertake to keep the spring clean, accessible, and to ensure that it serves the community for a long time.

The village elder, locally known as "Likuru" who was at training assured the community that he would personally oversee the management and maintenance of the spring. He further warned the community that serious disciplinary measures would be taken against anyone found misusing or mishandling Shimenga Spring.

– Family planning
– Personal hygiene, highlighting handwashing and dental hygiene

The facilitator introduced the idea of a "tippy tap," which is a hands-free handwashing stations made out of a jerrycan, string, and sticks. They demonstrated how to make one of these and how to use it properly. Participants were receptive and welcomed the idea of a tippy tap, promising to introduce it into their homes immediately.

– Environmental hygiene
– Waterborne and water-related disease, along with water treatment methods

"We are so happy and we shall do anything within our ability to follow up on what we have learned. As a village elder, I will ensure that each homestead installs the tippy tap next to their latrine so that each person washes their hands after using the toilet," said Mr. Nyundo.

Thank You for making all of this possible!

April, 2019: Mutao Community, Shimenga Spring Project Underway

Dirty water from Shimenga Spring is making people in Mutao Community sick. Thanks to your generosity, we’re working to solve this issue by building 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 again with news of success!