Rehabilitation Project
Our implementing partner reports...
When the team arrived, community members and students were forced to travel 2 kilometers to a small stream for water or walk 2.5 kilometers to Lake Muhazi. Because of this, students were unable to stay in school and were suffering from dysentery, malaria, diarrhea and severe dehydration. There had also been four students' deaths in the past three years, from students drowning in attempt to collect water. During the team's stay, community members assembled a water committee lead by one man and one woman who assisted the team with the water project and provided security over the project during the night. The majority of community members sustain a living by farming.
There are a handful of community members who are able to sell their produce at local markets, while the majority must utilize all of their produce to feed their families. The nearest school is a secondary school, located in the community whose students, teachers and administrative personnel all have access to the new, safe water source.
Before leaving the community, the team provided community member and water committee leader, Anaclet Karamuka, with a LWI Rwanda contact number in case their well were to fall into disrepair, become subject to
vandalism or theft.
The team had an opportunity to meet with twenty-eight year old community member and school director of discipline, Anaclet Karamuka, who stated, "The old water was dirty. It was expensive to have driven to the school and it was too dangerous for the kids to go to fetch it. Now we are happy for the availability of clean water."
LWI Rwanda team member, Philip Rukamba, shared an introductory hygiene lesson with community members, including 870 secondary students. During the hygiene education; which will be followed-up with quarterly, the team addressed the following principle issues: Disease transmission, Germs, Hand Washing- proper techniques and water saving methods, Healthy Unhealthy Communities, Oral Rehydration Solution, Proper care of the pump, Keeping the water clean, Tippy Tap- simple hand washing devise, Good-bad hygiene behaviors, Disease Transmission Stories and Dental Hygiene.
