Rehabilitation Project
In the Machemo Community, at the Rodgers Ngaira Spring, you'll often find many residents at once, waiting for their turn to collect water. Tensions run high, and hope is waning. The spring is run down, overcrowded, and flowing with contaminated water.
Field officer Joel Otuya said, "I observed that the water point area is in very poor condition and not well-maintained. The surrounding environment is very dirty, muddy, and has stagnant water pools around the spring, which poses a serious health risk to users. The spring itself is semi-protected and has major visible cracks on the staircase area and the spring box, leaving it vulnerable to contamination."
Community member stands in stagnant water to fill his jerrycan.
He continued, "Overcrowding during dry seasons leads to tensions and disputes among water users, including people from neighboring communities who also depend on this source. The stagnant and contaminated water exposes users to diseases such as skin infections, especially among children. Adding to this, the slippery and uneven terrain around the spring increases the risk of falls and injuries, particularly for children and the elderly. One child has already been injured after slipping into stagnant water."
45-year-old Risper Ngaira experiences this on a daily basis. "The longest I or my children have had to wait for water in the past year was about three to four hours. This usually happens during the dry season, when the spring is the only available water source for both our community and people from neighboring villages. The water flows very slowly, and because the spring is semi-protected and in poor condition, only one person can fetch water at a time to avoid slipping or stepping into the stagnant water. The lines are very long and people come with many jerricans, so we end up waiting for hours, sometimes even going back home late in the evening."
Risper Ngaira.
Risper and her children waste so much time waiting to collect water—not just once a day, but many times!
"If I didn’t have to spend so much of my day fetching water, I would use that time to focus on income-generating activities like farming or selling vegetables to support my family. I would also have more time to care for my children, help them with schoolwork, and keep my home clean. It would give me a chance to rest, which is rare these days, and even participate more in community activities or women’s groups. Not spending hours on the water line would make life so much easier and more productive."
Life in the Machemo Community is hard. Risper's time is split between her farm and her family already; one can't function without the other. Without accessible, safe water, none of her ventures can thrive.
"Since the waterpoint broke down, life has become much harder, "Risper laments. "Fetching water now takes a lot more time and energy, and we have to deal with mud, slippery paths, and stagnant, dirty water every day. The risk of getting sick has increased, especially for children who sometimes fetch water alone. We live in fear of injuries and diseases like typhoid and diarrhea."
Repairing the Machemo Community spring means giving Risper peace of mind. Stairs will lessen the chances of injuries, and properly protecting the spring means clean water flowing! With their water source repaired, the congestion will ease, giving Risper and the whole community will gain back crucial time.
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 possible 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.
