November, 2023: Echibiywa Community Spring Protection Complete!
Echibiywa Community now has access to clean water! Thanks to your donation, we transformed their spring into a flowing source of naturally filtered water. We also installed a chlorine dispenser to provide added protection and trained the community on improved sanitation and hygiene practices. Together, these components will unlock the opportunity for community members to live better, healthier lives.
"All persons have a right to access to clean, safe water. Protection of the spring will allow for [the] collection of clean, safe water; hence, the community members [are] assured of good health. Cases of infections such as typhoid, cholera, dysentery, and other water-related diseases will be a long gone history. This will lead to a healthy, [and] in return, a wealthy community," said 22-year-old teacher Pricilla Mideva.
Pricilla splashing clean water!
Children were just as excited as adults about the new water point.
"Clean water is needed in day-to-day life. A shortage of it does destabilize a community. Before [the] protection of the spring, we had a shortage in [the] supply of clean water in our households. This was especially during the drought season as the spring did face congestion," said 15-year-old Sarah I.
Sarah (right) and her friend celebrating!
"People are now able to access clean and safe water throughout the day regardless of time without worrying about congestion at the water point. The levels of hygiene and sanitation will drastically improve, leading to a healthy community. Water being available, I will be able to wash my school uniforms, bathe, and clean my room every day to keep it clean. This has made me feel fresh and confident wherever I go. I also enjoy sufficient time for my studies. This will help [me] improve my academics," concluded Sarah.
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 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 truck 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.
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 around the construction site from the spring's eye. 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, wire mesh, concrete, and waterproof cement.
Excavation.
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 pipe. The discharge pipe needs 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 pipe without making contact, which prevents cross-contamination.
Laying the foundation.
If we place the discharge pipe too high above the spring's eye, back pressure could force water to emerge elsewhere. Too low, and community members would not be able to access the water easily. We embedded the pipe using clay (or mortar when the clay is in short supply) and placed it at an incline to ensure water flows in the right direction.
Setting the discharge pipe.
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.
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 close all other exits to force water through only the discharge pipe.
We filled 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 thick plastic to minimize potential contamination sources, then piled enough dirt on top to compensate for future settling.
Community members transplanted grass onto the backfilled soil to help prevent erosion. 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 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.
"After [the] successful completion of the spring, the community members who were actively involved eagerly awaited handing over. The village elder who was present thanked every participant for their efforts towards the success of the facility [and] later closed with a thanksgiving prayer," said field officer Rachael Dorcus.
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 families and friends.
When the day arrived, facilitators Rachael and Samuel deployed to the site to lead the event. 15 people attended the training, including 11 women and 4 men. We held the training under a mango tree.
We covered several topics, including community participation in the project; leadership and governance; personal, dental, and environmental hygiene; water handling and treatment; spring maintenance; the importance of primary health care and disease prevention; family planning; soapmaking; how to make and use handwashing stations; and the ten steps of handwashing.
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 to make soap.
"The facilitator helped the participants understand various parts of the protected spring [and] their functions. This was vital since it enabled them to understand the importance of spring maintenance and for [the] future sustainability of the same. Participants were happy to learn that every part played a major role in spring functionality," said field officer Rachael.
Pauline.
"Sanitation and Hygiene are key to [the] growth of a community. Echibiywa community does face challenges in [the] provision of proper sanitation and hygiene for the entire population. This has left members at risk for diseases related to water, sanitation, and hygiene. Today's training has been [very] much enriching and will help our members in maintaining health, promoting personal, domestic, environmental, water and food hygiene practices, hence preventing transmission of diseases in the community," said 31-year-old business lady Pauline Otenyo.
Conclusion
This project required a substantial collaboration between our staff, our in-country teams, and the community members. 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 and there is guaranteed public access in the future. 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 Kenya, Uganda, and Sierra Leone, we're working toward complete coverage. That means 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!
Rehabilitation Project
