December, 2022: Lukhokho Community Spring Protection Complete!

Lukhokho Community now has access to clean water! We transformed Kamwani Spring into a flowing source of naturally filtered water thanks to your donation. Our team also trained the community on improved sanitation and hygiene practices. Together, these components will unlock the opportunity for community members to live better, healthier lives.

"We used to have a small pre-primary school near here, and they used this water point. The school was closed down due to cases of water-related disease (typhoid). Since we have this new waterpoint providing clean water, our objective is to talk to the owner to reopen the school and enable our young ones [to] access [an] education at the school close to their homes. We have access to very safe water, and water-related diseases will be our past as the area has been on the radar of [the] typhoid-affected areas," said 65-year-old farmer Kaskon Muyekho.

Kaskon (with the blue shirt) celebrates with community members at the spring.

Children were just as excited as adults about the new waterpoint.

"[I] will be able to save a lot of time since I've been getting to school late because I use a lot of time to queue at the waterpoint before getting back home [and] then [going] to school. So the time saved will allow me to complete my homework on time hence avoiding being punished by my teacher. [I] will [also] be able to educate my fellow pupils and also my siblings on the importance of access to safe water," said seven-year-old Esther S.

Esther, washing her hands, smiling with a friend at the spring.

Preparing for Spring Protection

Community members worked together to source and carry all locally available construction materials to the spring. These included bricks, sand, stones, and fencing poles. Some people also chiseled away at large rocks to break them down into gravel. Because people have to carry most items by hand, the material-collection process can take anywhere from a few weeks to months.

When the community was ready, we sent a lorry to deliver the remaining construction materials, including cement, plastic tarps, and hardware. Then, our construction artisan and field officers deployed to the spring to begin work. Individual households provided meals throughout each day to sustain the work team.

Community members, young and old, helped collect materials for the project.

From Open Source to Protected Spring: A Step-by-Step Process

First, we cleared and excavated the spring area. Next, we dug a drainage channel below the spring and several runoff diversion channels above and around the spring. These help to divert surface contaminants away.

To ensure community members could still access water throughout the construction process, we also dug temporary channels from the spring's eye around the construction site. This allowed water to flow without disrupting community members' tasks or the construction work. Excavation created space for setting the spring's foundation, made of thick plastic tarp, wire mesh, concrete, and waterproof cement.

Building the foundation structure.

After establishing the base, we started brickwork to build the headwall, wing walls, and stairs. Once the walls had grown tall enough, we began one of the most crucial steps: setting the discharge pipes. The discharge pipes need to be positioned low enough in the headwall so the water level never rises above the spring's eye, yet high enough to allow room for the average jerrycan (a 20-liter container) to sit beneath the pipes without making contact.

Laying the foundation.

If we place the discharge pipes too high above the spring's eye, backpressure could force water to emerge elsewhere. Too low, and community members would not be able to access the water easily. We embedded the pipes using clay (or mortar when clay is in short supply) and placed them at an incline to ensure water flows in the right direction.

Setting the discharge pipes.

In coordination with brickwork, we pitched stones on both sides of the spring's drainage channel. We then cemented and plastered each stone, forming the rub walls. These walls discourage people and animals from standing in that area, which could cause soil erosion and a clogged drainage area.

We then cemented and plastered both sides of the headwall and wing walls. These finishing layers reinforce the brickwork and prevent water in the reservoir from seeping through the walls. In turn, enough pressure builds in the reservoir box to push water out through the discharge pipe.

Plastering the walls.

As the headwall and wing walls cured, we cemented and plastered the stairs and installed four tiles beneath the discharge pipe. The tiles protect the concrete from the falling water's erosive force while beautifying the spring and facilitating easy cleaning of the spring floor.

The final stage of construction is backfilling the reservoir box behind the discharge pipe. We cleared the collection box of any debris that may have fallen during construction. Then we redirected the temporary diversion channels back into the reservoir box, channeling water into this area for the first time. We closed off all of the other exits to start forcing water through the discharge pipe only.

A community member helps pass stones to fill the reservoir box.

We filled up the reservoir area with the large, clean stones community members had gathered, arranging them in layers like a well-fitting puzzle. We covered the rocks with a thick plastic tarp to minimize potential contamination sources, then piled enough dirt on top to compensate for future settling.

Transplanting grass to prevent erosion.

Community members transplanted grass onto the backfilled soil to help prevent erosion. Finally, the collection area was fenced to discourage any person or animal from walking on it. Compaction can lead to disturbances in the backfill layers and potentially compromise water quality.

The entire construction process took about two weeks of work and patience to allow the cement and plaster to finish curing. As soon as the spring was ready, people got the okay from their local field officers to fetch water.

We officially handed over the spring to mark the community's ownership of the water point. Happiness, thanksgiving, and appreciation were the order of the day, flowing in all directions.

Kids celebrating the spring's completion.

"In attendance were the village elders, all the water user committee members, and some water users. They were so grateful, and they requested that they be considered again if there will be other projects. Their cooperation before and during the project implementation was highly appreciated," said field officer Mildred Mboha.

Training on Health, Hygiene, and More

Together with the community, we found their preferred date for training while considering other community calendar events, such as the agricultural season and social events. We requested a representative group of community members to attend training and relay the information learned to the rest of their family and friends.

When the day arrived, facilitators Amos, Mildred, Davis, and Harrison deployed to the site to lead the event. 29 people attended the training, including 21 women and eight men. We held the training under a tree at a homestead close to the spring.

A group photo of the training participants.

We covered several topics, including community participation in the project, leadership and governance, personal and environmental hygiene, water handling and treatment, spring maintenance, dental hygiene, the ten steps of handwashing, disease prevention, and how to make and use handwashing stations.

Learning to make soap.

During the leadership and governance session, we held an election for the newly formed water user committee leaders, who will oversee the maintenance of the spring. We also brainstormed income-generating activities. Community members can now start a group savings account for any future minor repairs to the spring and a cooperative lending group, enabling them to develop small businesses.

Learning about proper spring maintenance.

The participants persevered under the hot sun to learn about proper water handling. One of the participants asked if water treated with chlorine can be used for bathing. The participants laughed, making reference to people who live in town and use water treated with chlorine for every purpose. The trainer intervened and advised them that there is no harm in using water treated with chlorine for bathing as long as the chlorine quantity is correct.

Mercy.

"The way I came here is not the way [I] am leaving. I have learned a lot about hygiene and sanitation and especially soap-making. I thought I knew how to wash my hands, but the ten steps of handwashing have made me realize I need to embrace the new method. Soap-making will also help me achieve high standards of hygiene and sanitation through the use of [the] soap made," said 38-year-old farmer and Water User Committee secretary Mercy Peter.

Conclusion

This project required a substantial collaboration between our staff, our in-country teams, and the community members themselves. When an issue arises concerning the spring, the water user committee is equipped with the necessary skills to rectify the problem and ensure the water point works appropriately. However, if the issue is beyond their capabilities, they can contact their local field officers to assist them.

Also, we will continue to offer them unmatchable support as a part of our monitoring and maintenance program. We walk with each community, problem-solving together when they face challenges with functionality, seasonality, or water quality. Together, all these components help us strive for enduring access to reliable, clean, and safe water for this community.

With your contribution, one more piece has been added to a large puzzle of water projects. In our target areas, we’re working toward complete coverage of reliable, maintained water sources within a 30-minute round trip for each community, household, school, and health center. With this in mind, search through our upcoming projects to see which community you can help next!

Thank you for making all of this possible!