Project Status



Project Type:  Borehole Well and Hand Pump

Program: Wells for Rwanda

Impact: 347 Served

Project Phase: 
Community Managed
Implementing Partner Monitoring Data Unavailable
Initial Installation: Dec 2011

Project Features


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Community Profile

Upon completion of the project, our partner in the field reports...

Background Information:

The people of Rubona know about water borne diseases all too well. Their nearest water source is half a kilometer
walk away from their community and is a swampy river. Because of the community’s dependence on this
contaminated water source, families were suffering from dysentery and malaria. The LWI Rwanda team was pleased
to learn of the community’s use of a covered pit latrine as this will help prevent further spread of disease in the area.
The vice mayor of social affairs for Nyagatare district, Charlotte Musabyimana, directed the team to this community
as a priority site to receive a well. The Rubona well has a water committee consisting of a church representative, the
village chief, and a village layman. The water committee has opened a bank account which will be used to fund
repairs in the future, ensuring the sustainability and financial ownership of the project. Most community members
sustain their families by farming and the nearest school is located four kilometers away from the community. During
the team’s stay, community members took time away from work to help the team provide security over the water
project during the night. Living Water International has also enlisted this well in its operation and maintenance
program which will make quarterly visits to the site to ensure the pump remains operable and to do follow up health
and hygiene training with the community along with telling Bible stories, praying with the community, and
strengthening ties with the local church.

Hygiene and Sanitation Training:

LWI Rwanda team member, Arthur Kaneza, taught health and hygiene practices to 22 villagers in the village of
Rubona. During the hygiene education, Arthur addressed: Disease transmission, germs, hand washing proper water
saving techniques, healthy and unhealthy communities, how to take proper care of the pump, how to keep the water
clean, Community mapping and identifying good and bad hygiene behaviors, clean hands and clean hearts and
dental hygiene.

Community Member Interview:

The LWI Rwanda team had an opportunity to meet with forty –two year old community member and farmer, Charles
Gahigana, who stated, "The old water source was dirty and gave us brown water. This new water is clean and will
give us strength and health."

 

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Project Photos


Project Type

Abundant water is often right under our feet! Beneath the Earth’s surface, rivers called aquifers flow through layers of sediment and rock, providing a constant supply of safe water. For borehole wells, we drill deep into the earth, allowing us to access this water which is naturally filtered and protected from sources of contamination at the surface level. First, we decide where to drill by surveying the area and determining where aquifers are likely to sit. To reach the underground water, our drill rigs plunge through meters (sometimes even hundreds of meters!) of soil, silt, rock, and more. Once the drill finds water, we build a well platform and attach a hand pump. If all goes as planned, the community is left with a safe, closed water source providing around five gallons of water per minute! Learn more here!


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