June, 2020: COVID-19 Prevention Training Update at Kambiri Community, Sachita 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.

Trainer Jacky emphasizes the importance of using soap of any kind when handwashing

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 Kambiri, Kenya.

We trained more than 15 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.

Making a leaky tin

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.

Sample mask made during the tutorial at training

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.

Reviewing prevention reminders chart

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.

May, 2019: Kambiri Community, Sachita Spring Project Complete

Kambiri Community is celebrating its new protected spring, so celebrate with them! Sachita 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 Sachita Spring was successful and water is now flowing from the discharge pipe.

"Thank you for making it possible for us to access clean and safe water. Before, we used to take contaminated water which made us get sick frequently - especially children. Now we can take water without worrying about waterborne diseases," said 72-year-old Berida.

The Process:

The community worked alongside our artisan to make spring protection successful. People living closest to the spring made meals for the work team, and several community members shuttled supplementary materials directly to the construction site.

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

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 community members were informed of the importance of hygiene and sanitation training as we supervised construction work, and a convenient date and time were chosen. The community members who were there with us then went house to house to inform others about the training.

The participants were very involved throughout the training, asking many questions for clarification about the topics that were covered. They also volunteered to help whenever there was a demonstration.

Participants learned about:

– Leadership and governance for the spring committee

Under this topic, the water user committee leaders were elected in order to oversee the maintenance of the spring and to ensure that proper sanitation is observed by everyone in the community. They were also asked to form and register a group that works to do income-generating activities so that economic standards improve.

This was special because participants asked many questions about how they can form, manage, and register their group to get additional support from the local government. The facilitator informed them that they should not only form a group but also have a plan for what activities they should engage in together. They need to embrace unity and work hard in order to succeed.

– Management and maintenance of the spring

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

Dental hygiene was discussed in detail. Participants were informed that they need to brush after meals and that they need to replace their brushes after three months. A demonstration about the right way to brush, highlighting the amount of toothpaste to be used, was done.

This activity was special because the participants said that they had never learned the proper way to brush. If they cannot afford a new toothbrush every three months, they were advised to improvise by using a clean, chewed stick instead. They can also use salt or charcoal in place of toothpaste.

The community members really liked learning about handwashing as well. They appreciated learning how to make their own handwashing stations by using jerrycans, string, and sticks.

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

Discussing the possibility of solar disinfection. All someone needs is a clear container, the sun, and some time.

"This training was very educative. Now we know more about the project and we have also learned how to keep ourselves and the environment clean in order to reduce infections, diseases, and improve our wellbeing," said Mrs. Shikuku.

Thank You for making all of this possible!

April, 2019: Kambiri Community, Sachita Spring Project Underway

Dirty water from Sachita Spring is making people in Kambiri 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!