Dickson is On An Upward Trajectory!

July, 2024

A year ago, your generous donation helped the Shiyenga Community in Kenya access clean water – creating a life-changing moment for Dickson. Thank you!

Last year, your gift unlocked the potential for a brighter future for Dickson. Since then, he and the Shiyenga Community of 245 residents have had clean, reliable water. Your contribution has made a significant impact. Thank you for making a difference!

"No more sickness, which means I don't have to miss a single day of school. I feel hopeful for my future since my parents don't have to spend a fortune on medication!" Dickson shared.

Before the Spring's Protection

Like many young people in Kenya, Dickson, 17, is responsible for collecting water to meet his daily water needs. Before last year’s water intervention, this task stole his time and negatively affected him.

The spring before protection.

Drinking the water caused severe consequences. Many in his community suffered from waterborne diseases that created health problems, affecting their daily lives. Limited accessibility also meant people wasted time collecting sufficient water to meet their needs. The difficult journey to collect water sapped their physical and emotional energy, creating roadblocks. For Dickson, in particular, it affected his education and endangered his health.

We asked Dickson what it was like to collect water before the spring protection. He said, "Difficult and time-consuming. The long queues affected me negatively because I would waste time that was more needed in [my] studies. Two years ago I slipped and sprained my ankle as I was ascending from the spring after collecting water. I had to walk to school with crutches as a result."

Since the Spring's Protection

Your generous gift last year was much more than a simple donation; it was a powerful statement about your commitment to this community and Dickson’s future. By supporting the water solution, you made clean water an everyday reality, fostering hope for a brighter future.

 

Dickson at the spring.

Reliable and clean water lays the groundwork for improved health, education, and economic possibilities, allowing people to thrive. We frequently hear from those we interview that "water is life!"

"I haven't suffered from any waterborne disease in the past year because I wash my hands regularly with clean water and soap. The water I drink is clean and safe, thanks to the chlorine dispenser," Dickson shared.

"My performance has taken an upward trajectory since the installation of this waterpoint. I'm looking forward to completing high school at the end of this year and I'm sure I'll do well in the final exams," he continued.

The Future is Looking Bright!

A year ago, you made a difference for Dickson and the rest of his community. This is just the first chapter of their story as access to clean water continues to improve their lives!

At The Water Project, we value sustainability and want to ensure that people continue to thrive. We commit to monitoring this project to ensure the water is always flowing and safe to consume. We inspect the system hardware, track water availability, conduct sanitary inspections, and collect water quality samples to identify risks. We work with our team on the ground to resolve them.

You gave Dickson a crucial tool for achieving his dreams: access to clean water. Together, we can excitedly expect that with this precious resource, his enthusiasm and courage will help fulfill dreams.

"I would love to become a civil engineer to help in improving the poor road network within my community."

- Dickson.

Dickson collecting water.


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 Shiyenga Community 4 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 Shiyenga Community 4 – 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.

Project Status



Project Type: Protected Spring

Regional Program: Western Kenya WaSH Program

Impact: 245 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - Jul 2023

Functionality Status:  Functional

Last Checkup: 10/02/2024

Project Features


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The 140 community members who live in this area of Shiyenge collect water from Joseph Chiliswa Spring each day and carry it home however they can; on their heads, on bicycles, or by wheelbarrow.

"Everyone is busy doing something to ensure that they put food on the table and make sure their children are at school. It is an industrious community," said our field officer Betty Muhongo.

People work hard to collect water from the partially protected spring, but sadly, it doesn't function correctly, so its deficiencies are wasting everyone's valuable time. This is time they need for other essential things such as working, tending their homes, and attending school, which could help improve their lives.

"Not all [of the] spring water goes through the pipe as we could see water oozing from the base of the spring, and the drainage channel is blocked, making it difficult to draw water since there is backflow and a lot of water fills up at the drawing point," Betty said when describing the spring's condition.

Note the little boy filling his jug with stagnant water above because he doesn't want to wait to collect.

"Water from the catchment area has not been fully tapped (even though there are three improvised collection pipes). This has led to a low discharge rate leading to overcrowding at the water point, especially during the weekends. Water users are forced to draw water very early in the morning and late in the evening to avoid queuing," stated Betty.

"Time is very important. [For now] I need to reschedule my study program to ensure that there is water before settling down. [I] am really trying, but [I] am sure if the spring will be protected, there will be no need for one to be at [the] spring that early or late in the evening. Water will be drawn at any time during the day," said 17-year-old Christine O., above at the spring.

"With the lack of installed stairs, accessing the spring is a challenge and, at times, leads to community members injuring themselves in the process of going to fetch water. I rather pay someone to help get water than risk my life going to the spring, especially during rainy seasons," said 48-year-old farmer Rose Muronji, shown below.

But time wasting is not the only issue facing community members. There are also cases of waterborne diseases regularly reported, causing community members to spend a lot of money on medication.

"Protection of the spring will lead to an increase in the discharge speed and reduce overcrowding at the water point. When the spring is protected, all the challenges will be solved the water users will be trained on how to take good care of their spring," concluded Betty.

What We Can Do:

Spring Protection

Protecting the spring will help provide access to cleaner and safer water and reduce the time people have to spend to fetch it. 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.

Fetching water is a task predominantly carried out by women and young girls. Protecting the spring and offering training and support will, therefore, help empower the female members of the community by freeing up more of their time and energy to engage and invest in income-generating activities and their education.

Training on Health, Hygiene and More

To hold training, we work closely with both community leaders and the local government to approve small groups to attend training. We ask community leaders to invite a select yet representative group of people to attend training who will then act as ambassadors to the rest of the community to share what they learn.

The training will focus on improved hygiene, health, and sanitation habits in this community. With the community's input, we will identify key leverage points where they can alter their practices at the personal, household, and community levels to affect change. This training will help to ensure participants have the knowledge they need about healthy practices and their importance to make the most of their water point as soon as water is flowing.

Our team of facilitators will use a variety of methods to train community members. Some of these methods include participatory hygiene and sanitation transformation, asset-based community development, group discussions, handouts, and demonstrations at the spring.

One of the most important issues 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 is consumed. We and the community strongly believe that all of these components will work together to improve living standards here, which will help to unlock the potential for these community members to live better, healthier lives.

We will then conduct a small series of follow-up trainings before transitioning to our regularly scheduled support visits throughout the year.

Training will result in the formation of a water user committee, elected by their peers, that will oversee the operations and maintenance of the spring. The committee 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 channels. The fence will keep out destructive animals and unwanted waste, and the drainage will keep the area's mosquito population at a minimum.

Project Updates


July, 2023: Shiyenga Community 4 Spring Protection Completed!

Shiyenga 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.

"The spring has been made easily accessible, which will help us save a lot of time when collecting water. Also, our health will improve because we will be [fetching] clean water. Good health will make me stronger [and able] to comfortably work on my farm plot. I will have time to spend with my family and do house chores on time," said Farmer Norah Kati, 59.

Norah Kati.

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

Eunice A.

"It will make my work easier at home because I will spend [less] time help[ing] my parents with house chores and collecting water. During school time, I will spend more time at school than at home because of my good health. By saving time [previously] spent at the waterpoint, I will have ample time to do my studies at home and in school. By studying, we will be able to develop our community in [the] future," shared 17-year-old Eunice A.

Preparing for Spring Protection

Community members collaborated 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.

Excavating the site.

To ensure community members could still access water throughout the construction process, we dug temporary channels around the 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.

Setting the slab.

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, which prevents cross-contamination.

Constructing the walls.

If we place the discharge pipes 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 pipes 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.

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 pipes.

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

Setting the tiles.

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 pipes.

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 a 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.

Kids planting grass.

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.

Spring protection is complete!

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.

Facilitators Stella Inganji and Betty Muhongo deployed to the site when the day arrived to lead the event. Ten people attended the training, including six women and four men. We held the training at a community member's home.

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.

Site maintenance was one of the favorite topics discussed; the participants actively engaged because they wanted to be clear on protecting their waterpoint. They were happy to receive the project! They wanted to be among the best communities in taking care of their waterpoint for it to serve them longer.

"The training has been good in all areas. We have been taught various hygiene practices that some of us have ignored for [a] long [time] without thinking it's for our benefit. For instance, proper handwashing steps are some of [the] things most of us don't follow, but from today I believe we will wash our hands the right way," secretary of the water committee Zedrick Ondiso, 25, shared.

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. We're working toward complete coverage in Kenya, Uganda, and Sierra Leone. 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!

 




May, 2023: Shiyenga Community Spring Protection Underway!

The lack of adequate water in Shiyenga Community costs people time, energy, and health every single day. Clean water scarcity contributes to community instability and diminishes individuals’ personal progress.

But thanks to your recent generosity, things will soon improve here. We are now working to install a reliable water point and improve hygiene standards. We look forward to sharing inspiring news in the near future!




Project Photos



Contributors

18 individual donor(s)