Rehabilitation Project
The community spring that serves the 238 people who live in Mwiyala is unprotected and unable to provide safe, sufficient water to meet everyone's needs. In its current state, it is wide open to contamination of various sorts, and many community members report suffering from water-related illnesses after consuming the water.
The unprotected spring.
Christine is an 18-year-old student, and suffering from water-related illnesses has often kept her out of school. When she is ill, not only does she suffer physically, but she misses out on learning, putting her further behind.
"When [I] am sick, I have to miss school so that I can seek treatment and recover fully before I resume my studies. At the end of last year, I was really very sick. I couldn't manage to go to school or attempt to do any work," said Christine.
Christine collecting water.
Missing school when she is sick is not the only cost to Christine and her family.
"This raised concerns, and my parents took me to the hospital. I was tested, and I was diagnosed to be suffering from typhoid. I was treated and discharged after three days in the hospital. This caused a lot of financial constraints to my parents because they had to go into debt to pay for my medical bills," said Christine.
As Christine noted, to get medical treatment, her parents must choose to use up their limited resources, which steal from their daily needs, or go into further debt with little hope of making progress in the future. It is an impossible choice.
Even when Christine feels well enough to go to school, she must collect water to meet her family's needs before she can go. Being unable to prioritize her education is a disheartening side effect of her community's water crisis.
"When I am sent to collect water, I really feel disturbed due to the unsafe nature of the water source. The entire process of fetching water is unsafe. One has to have a jug for collecting water, which is so tiresome. The water collection area is also slippery with mud, and one can easily fall," shared Christine.
The spring's condition makes it difficult to access safely, and scooping up water is time-consuming. This causes frustration among community members as they wait for their turn in hopes of getting back to the other important things they need to do.
Community members waiting to collect water.
"Fetching water takes much time when people [are] overcrowded at the source collecting water, thus leading to a long queue," Christine said. "At the water source, when I find older people, I have to wait for them to fetch water. Even if they have several containers, all of them have to be collected with water before they allow me to fetch."
It is an exhausting task that often makes her late to school and causes her to miss out further.
"Fetching water really affects my time at school, especially when we are preparing for exams. I have to spend much of my time collecting water while other pupils are busy reading, revising, and doing assignments, which is lagging me behind academically," said Christine.
Christine has hopes and dreams for the future and wants to give her all to her education, but those things will not become reality until she has access to safe, reliable water.
"As I focus on academic achievement, my future focus is to excel and have [a] great impact in my community in matters related to water and health and be a light that enlightens other people," Christine concluded.
Community women carrying water home.
Steps Toward a Solution
Our technical experts worked with the local community to identify the most effective solution to their water crisis. They decided to safeguard the existing flowing spring.
Spring Protection
Springs are natural water sources that originate from deep underground. As water travels through various layers of the earth, it undergoes a natural filtration process, making it cleaner and safer to drink. To protect these spring sources from contamination, we construct a waterproof cement structure around layers of clay, stone, and soil. This design channels the spring water through a discharge pipe, facilitating easier, faster, and cleaner water collection.
Chlorine Dispenser
As an extra measure towards water quality safety, uniquely engineered chlorine dispensers are installed at all of our spring protection projects so community members can treat their water with pre-measured doses of chlorine. The chlorine treats any residual contamination and stays active for two to three days, ensuring water stays safe to use even when stored at home. Chlorine delivery and maintenance of the dispensers are part of our ongoing community support.
Community Education & Ownership
Hygiene and sanitation training are integral to our water projects. Training is tailored to each community's specific needs and includes key topics such as proper water handling, improved hygiene practices, disease transmission prevention, and care of the new water point. Safe water and improved hygiene habits foster a healthier future for everyone in the community. Encouraged and supported by the guidance of our team, a water user committee representative of the community's diverse members assumes responsibility for maintaining the water point, often gathering fees to ensure its upkeep.
