October, 2019: Tholmossor, Masjid Mustaqeem, 18 Kamtuck Street Project Complete!
We are excited to share that there is a safe, reliable borehole well at Masjid Mustaqeem! The students and community members no longer have to rely on unsafe water to meet their daily needs. We also conducted hygiene and sanitation training, which focused on healthy practices such as handwashing and using latrines.
New Well
The drilling of this new borehole was a success, and clean water is flowing!
"I share a boundary with the mosque where the new water well was drilled. I am so thankful for this great gift from you," said Mbalu Sesay.
"I was elected to be the caretaker of the water well and my family and I are so happy for this great gift, words cannot begin to express our sincere thanks and appreciation."
Mbalu Sesay
The water point was dedicated on a Friday afternoon after the 2:00 pm prayers to ensure a greater turnout. It was a rainy day with the smell of perfume from the different women and other mosque-goers in the air, as it is customary here for Muslims to adorn themselves with the best outfits and perfumes during the Friday prayers.
The water well was drilled at the local mosque, but it is owned and operated by all the members of the community regardless of faith and religious belief. All community members can get water from the well.
Councilor Abu Bakarr Koroma making a statement
All members of the water user committee were present and their names were called individually to make sure they understand their duties and responsibilities. The chairperson Foday Kallon, the current councilperson, Chief, Imam, and other community members all gave praises and thanks for the great development in the community. This is the first time such an investment has ever been made in the community and the people were so excited that they are promising to care for this well as if it were an egg.
The Process
The team was deployed to the community on a Saturday morning, where we were greeted by onlookers waiting to start their end of the bargain. The water user committee chairperson had urged the children to start fetching water for the drilling. The team was given a room and the mosque was used as a store for the parts that could be easily walked away with. The team settled in, the drill rig was positioned, and the waste and supply pits dug.
Our teams found this to be a very beautiful community, filled with caring people ready to assist. The first gesture of kindness was when a hot meal was prepared for the drill team minutes after their arrival.
2 pits were dug next to the drill rig, 1 for the drill’s water supply and another for what was pulled back up out of the borehole. Since the community already struggles with finding enough water, we ordered a private supplier to deliver the water we needed for drilling.
Day 1 of drilling started with filling the 2 pits with water mixed with bentonite. A 4-inch carbide-tipped bit was fixed to the 5-foot-long drill stem. The mud pump was started to supply water to the drill rig and the drilling starts. During drilling, after every 5-foot length of drill stem put into the hole the team would take material samples. The bags were labeled 1, 2, 3, and so on. These are to be reviewed later to determine the aquifer locations.
The second day of drilling was meant to expand the hole and clear it of mud. The team reached a total depth of 16.61 meters.
The team forcefully pumped clean water into the well to clear out any mud and debris from drilling. After, filter pack was added so that the screened pipe would be protected. The temporary drilling casing was hoisted out so that we could fortify the pipes with cement.
The well was bailed by hand for 3 days before doing a yield test to verify the water quantity, which ended up being 43.16 liters per minute at a static water level of 9.09 meters.
With these great results, a stainless steel India MkII pump was installed. Water quality tests show that this is clean water fit for drinking!
New Knowledge
Before any hygiene training, repeated phone calls and visits were made to the committee to help them understand the challenges and lack of sanitation facilities in the community. The findings from our baseline survey were brought to the attention of the water user committee to help them make the necessary adjustments before the training or drilling could commence. When all the necessary and required guidelines were met, then and only then did our team of hygiene trainers go to conduct the training.
It is a participatory training that involves environmental and personal hygiene at a household level. The community has so far shown a level of interest in the project by gathering during the community engagement. A ready and able father figure by the name of Dauda Kanu was at the forefront of this project and an outspoken member of the community. Weeks before the training, a call was made to several members of the water user committee to make sure all the households had constructed all the required facilities. The hygiene training was scheduled and went on for 3 days.
The committee members were eager for the training to commence and made several calls and visits to the office to make sure it was not canceled or postponed. The time of training came and the team was impressed at the level of participation from the community members. More than 150 people of all ages were in attendance. It was a sunny and humid day and with the rains nowhere in sight, the best solution was to find refuge under a large mango tree. The hygiene training was scheduled in the morning hours for 2 main reasons, the first reason to get the most turnout and the second and most obvious to escape from the hot sun.
Training topics covered included: Handwashing and tippy tap; good and bad hygiene; disease transmission; worms and parasites; proper care of teeth; proper care of the pump; keeping the water clean; the cost recovery system; dishracks and clotheslines; the importance of toilets; keeping the latrine clean; balanced diets; diarrhea causes and prevention; and HIV and AIDS.
Handwashing is one of the most important parts of keeping a healthy and safe lifestyle. Handwashing is always a special topic because it is the first line of defense for one's personal health. Some adults pick food up off the ground without washing it, and there are others that eat food with their bare hands without washing them. People here are familiar with the spread of diseases between people so some will avoid shaking hands in fear of getting it on their hands.
The main motive for holding training sessions is to invoke a positive behavior change within individuals and communities. The first and major change was to institute and start using handwashing stations at various homes in the community. The participation of the community members during the training showed the community’s drive to get the most out of the training.
Tippy tap construction
"It is still good to know but this information is really for the benefit of my children and grandchildren. I am happy to have had this training because it is better late than never," said Abu Bakar Sesay, a local small goods trader.
"Information is power."
Thank you for making all of this possible!
Rehabilitation Project
