Project Status



Project Type:  Borehole Well and Hand Pump

Regional Program: Port Loko, Sierra Leone WaSH Program

Impact: 345 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - Oct 2019

Functionality Status:  Functional

Last Checkup: 01/11/2024

Project Features


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Fuad Lane is more than a rural community now. This area has been slowly developed into an urban setting and as a result, more than 80 percent of its vegetation has made way for new homes.

Most people here make a living engaging in petty trading. Both men and women here rely on buying items on wholesale and then sell it through street hawking. There are also a few government employees in this community. Some work at the airport, while others are teachers. They also have a few self-employed individuals. They earn their livelihoods by selling their vocational skills to people who need their services.

People rise very early in the morning here for many different reasons, some for their religion and others for their occupation. One key factor that drives early risers here is water. All the groups of people here have water as their primary concern in the early morning.

While 2 of the schools here have protected wells, they are only shared with the community during the weekends and when the schools are on holiday. People then rely on wells further away or packaged water sold by local vendors.

Fuad Lane is a community not too far away from the business center of this chiefdom. The population density is high with water shortage the major factor responsible for this community’s lack of proper hygiene and sanitation.

This community’s water situation was brought to our notice by Sheik Fuad. Because of the strain people go through in fetching water, he took the lead role in writing to us. He is ready to lead his community in whatever requirements put forth by the organization. He even donated a plot of land on which to do the well.

When the team came here during the baseline survey, they discovered that the well could not be done on the land he donated because of the poor hygiene status. There are three latrines bordering the spot. We then consulted with his neighbor, Mrs. Kadiatu Kamara. This lady has a very decent compound with a nice space for a well. After explaining to her about the proposed project in her community, she was very happy to donate a nice plot of land to her community.

What we can do:

New Well

We will be drilling this well along Fuad Lane. Our team will drive over the LS200 mud rotary drill rig and set up camp for a couple of nights. Once the well is drilled to a sufficient water column, it will be cased, developed, and then tested. If these tests are positive, our mechanics will install a new India Mark II pump.

This community has been pushed to walk long distances and wait in long lines for their water. By drilling this borehole, this community will be provided with plenty of accessible clean drinking water.

Training

Lack of water in the homes accounts for more dirt because laundry is done infrequently and less water is available for bathing and for use in the latrines. Poor hygiene encourages mosquitoes, cockroaches, and other disease-carrying insects. These contact humans and infect them with all sorts of diseases.

Without enough water in their homes, people do not set aside any for handwashing. This means that germs are transmitted easily from person to person via hand contact. The people are also exposed to waterborne diseases because they might look for water in more dangerous sources. Even some packaged waters are not safe for drinking.

To address these challenges, there will be hygiene and sanitation training sessions offered for three days in a row.

Community members will learn how to make a handsfree handwashing station called the "tippy-tap." We will use these tippy taps for handwashing demonstrations, and will also teach about other tools like dish racks and the importance of properly penning in animals. We will highlight the need to keep latrines clean, among many other topics.

These pieces of training will also strengthen a water user committee that will manage and maintain this new well. They will enforce proper behavior and report to us whenever they need our help solving a serious problem, like a pump breakdown.

Project Updates


October, 2019: King Fuad Hafis Islamic School Project Complete

We are excited to share that there is a safe, reliable borehole well at King Fuad Hafis Islamic School. 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!

The Fuad Lane community was well prepared for this long-awaited day of their dedication. Already, there was a well-prepared seating place, just like in bigger community meetings. The seating place was set up at the front of the King Fuad Islamic School, close to the well facility.

The time scheduled for this dedication was for 1:30 pm, after their Friday prayers. Imam Sheik Fuad Kamara and his community people disseminated the information in the community and even invited other community mosques to grace this occasion. A lot of community people, both young and old who have not been regularly coming to observed prayers, came and observed prayers at this community mosque for this dedication ceremony.

Sheik Fuad making a statement at the well

Shiek Fuad invited the team to observe prayer with them at the mosque. We all joined in. When he was preaching, he referenced The Water Project for the great good they have done for the Fuad Lane community.

"Today," he said, "they are going to dedicate a well from where they will fetch safe and clean drinking water for even generations yet unborn."

He asked members of the Mosque to join him in praying for this great project that they are going to enjoy with their children. After prayers, the school kids, dressed in their uniforms, came out of the Mosque singing their Arabic songs of thanks. They came out and sat in front of Shiek Fuad’s house. Community people sat on the chairs that were set up earlier for this ceremony.

A few minutes later, other community members came in their groups singing for the well facility. Traditional songs came up from one Kadiatu Kanu. She was very excited for this well. She began a period of traditional singing and dancing.

Kids were happy when water was coming out, they were playing and splashing the water all around the well.

Statements were made by Shiek Fuad, one of the teachers, and other community people. They thanked The Water Project for the well facility in the community.

The Process

A private delivery van was contracted to convey the team and equipment to this site because our truck was broken down. When they arrived, Sheik Fuad gave them a very warm welcome. He then sent a message around to his committee members informing them of the arrival of the team. Immediately, some showed up and like Sheik Fuad, they also were very happy to receive the team and gave their equally warm welcome.

They agreed on the accommodation for the team while they worked on the well over the next few days and set up Madam Zainab Kamara as the cook for the team.

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 began. 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 were 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 95 feet.

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 at a static water level of 46.9 feet.

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.

Recruitment was pre-arranged with the chairman of the water user committee. He personally walked around the community with the team’s megaphone, calling them to participate in the hygiene and sanitation training on the day of training. The boom box was also utilized here. Loud music is a very good attraction for most people in this part of the world and the boom box provided that.

All 3 days training was conducted in the morning. Although we were in the dry season, the morning usually attracts very cool weather. However, this is not a very vegetated community because most of the trees have been cut down to make way for new homes. Fortunately, the chairman of the WaSH Committee has a community Arabic school, so this building was used instead.

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 prevention and treatment; and HIV and AIDS.

The level of participation and involvement of attendees was very high as the attendees were involved in every demonstration. The Question and Answer session was even more interactive. This group of people were in high spirits by asking critical questions on every topic that was discussed because they wanted to know everything.

We were very much impressed with their participation and cooperation in the training. Those who made it to the training had a wonderful time. It was very colorful in terms of comprehension and appreciation.

"My son, I am very happy about this training and I am impressed by the teaching. I must confess that even if I don't have this well in my community, I am ok with the teaching you people have given us," said Sheik Fuad.

Thank you for making all of this possible!




September, 2019: King Fuad Hafis Islamic School project underway!

A severe clean water shortage at King Fuad Hafis Islamic School in Sierra Leone drains people’s time, energy, and health. Thanks to your generosity, we’re working to install a clean water point and much more.

Get to know the community through the introduction and pictures we’ve posted, and read about this water, sanitation and hygiene project. We look forward to reaching out with more good news!




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!


Contributors

Solomon's Porch Sunday School Class
Amazon Smile
30 individual donor(s)