Project Status



Project Type:  Borehole Well and Hand Pump

Regional Program: Port Loko, Sierra Leone WaSH Program

Impact: 350 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - Apr 2021

Functionality Status:  Functional

Last Checkup: 07/12/2024

Project Features


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Community Profile

The Port Loko District Disabled Association Office lacks an accessible water point for its staff and visitors. Most of the people who come to this area have some form of disability. To get water, they must rely on other people since there is no water at the site and the nearest sources are not handicap accessible. This is a crowded part of Rotifunk community, which means that water points often have long lines. That makes people reluctant to get water for the people who come to the office, restricting access to water.

"Water is costly in these parts, and I will not be able to afford to buy water every single day. I can only afford to buy water to drink. At the same time, at the office, and even at that, we can hardly make ends meet," explained Abdul Kamara, the President of the Disabled Persons Association in Port Loko District.

"Without accessible and affordable water sources, we as disabled people can only use this building as an office and nothing more."

One of the people who have to fetch water for the office is a 15-year-old boy named Mohamed. He told us that he wakes up early each morning to travel to neighboring communities to get water and bring it back. Sometimes he finds he is too early, and the pump is still locked, so he must seek water elsewhere. Other times, long lines have formed, which delays his chore. As a result, Mohamed said he is often late for school.

"I have devoted a lot of time in helping all the members in any way I can," he said.

The main well and alternate water sources, which are not far from each other, are both privately owned and highly restricted and expensive. Rotifunk is a fast-growing business community, with shops, loud music, and a noisy environment where everyone tries to sell one thing or another. This community has welcomed people from all over the country.

It is a melting pot of people trying to get a better life. Rotifunk has become the business center of Kaffu Bulloum Chiefdom. People are scrambling to get the smallest piece of land to build their dream home. Because of the large number of people in this community, people have large water storage containers that they sometimes pay hired help to support them through fetching water.

What we can do:

New Well

We will be drilling this well at 22 Kasongha Road. This project will relieve the people here of their water challenges. This well will be located on the property of the Port Loko District Disabled Association office and will serve the people who use the office and local community members.

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 open contaminated well for their water. By drilling this borehole, Rotifunk Community will be provided with plenty of accessible clean drinking water.

Training

There will be hygiene and sanitation training sessions offered for three days in a row.

Community members will learn how to make a hands-free 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.

This 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 in solving a serious problem, like a pump breakdown.

Project Updates


April, 2021: Lungi, Rotifunk, 22 Kasongha Road Project Complete!

We are excited to share that there is a safe, reliable borehole well at 22 Kasongha Road. 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.

"I am very much happy now to have water at my doorstep. Before, I had to go to the community water point to fetch water after school or before going to school. The long lines and insults on my disability discourage me from venturing to that well. This is the best thing that has happened to us in a very long time," said Sahr Dauda.

"Now I have safe and pure drinking water in my community. It has created a good impact in my life and the lives of other children and adults that feel left out."

New Well

The drilling of this new borehole was a success, and clean water is flowing!

The turnout at the dedication ceremony was more than we anticipated. People came from different parts of the chiefdom to witness this special occasion. Because of the national COVID-19 guidelines, the number of people that showed up for the dedication had to be downsized to allow proper physical distancing.

A woman gives a speech at the dedication.

In attendance was a representative from the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender, and Children's Affairs, and the Local Councilor. Community members employed someone with a loud public announcement system with music playing that brought onlookers to witness the event. The community vowed to make this project very successful and sustainable. They are already thinking of ways to create jobs from the water point.

"The access to reliable and safe water within our compound is going to provide employment and strengthen the relationship between our members and the community. This water point is going to be a tool to empower the disabled and bring us a step towards financial independence," said Abdul Kamara.

The Process

The drill team arrived the day before beginning work. They set up camp and unpacked all of their tools and supplies to prepare for drilling the next day. The community provided space for them to store their belongings and meals for the duration of their stay. The following day, the work began.

Two pits were dug next to the drill rig, one for the drill’s water supply and another for what is pulled out of the borehole. In some cases, we order a private supplier to deliver the water for drilling since water access is already a struggle.

Day one of drilling starts by filling the two pits with water mixed with bentonite. A four-inch carbide-tipped bit is fixed to the five-foot-long drill stem. The mud pump starts to supply water to the drill rig, and the drilling begins. The team takes a material sample after every five-foot length of drill stem is put into the hole. The bags were labeled and reviewed later to determine the aquifer locations.

On the second day of drilling, the team expands the hole and clears it of mud. The team reached a total depth of 28 meters.

The team forcefully pumps clean water into the well to clear out any mud and debris from drilling. After, the screened pipe is protected by adding a filter pack. The team hoists the temporary drilling casing to fortify the pipes with cement.

The well is bailed by hand for three days before conducting a yield test to verify the water quantity. This well's yield was about 20 liters per minute, at a static water level of 14 meters.

Pad construction

With these excellent results, a stainless steel India MkII pump was installed. Water quality tests show that this is clean water fit for drinking!

New Knowledge

Before conducting any hygiene training, we make repeated phone calls and visits to the local water user committee to better understand the community’s challenges and lack of sanitation facilities. We share the findings from our discussions with the committee members to help them make the necessary adjustments before the training begins. For example, we identify households without handwashing stations or may need to repair their latrines. With this information, community members can work together to improve hygiene and satiation at home.

After that, we schedule a time when members from each household using the water point can attend multi-day hygiene and sanitation training. When that is set, we dispatch our teams to the agreed-upon location to hold the meeting.

Training topics covered included handwashing and tippy taps; good and bad hygiene; disease transmission and prevention; worms and parasites; proper care of teeth; proper care of the pump; keeping the water clean; the cost recovery system; dish racks and clotheslines; the importance of toilets; keeping the latrine clean; balanced diets; the diarrhea doll; and HIV and AIDS.

Tippy tap construction.

"As a disabled person, I am susceptible to contracting diseases due to the inadequate and poor sanitation facilities available to a person like me. This training is going to transform the lives of my members, including myself," said Abdul.

Handwashing with a tippy tap.

"The valuable lessons will be shared with other members that were not fortunate to attend. The hygiene and sanitation at our office are very poor, but with the new knowledge, we will make the necessary changes at our office and our various homes.

Thank you for making all of this possible!




February, 2021: Lungi, Rotifunk, 22 Kasongha Road project underway!

A severe clean water shortage at 22 Kasongha Road drains peoples’ time, energy, and health. Thanks to your generosity, we’re working to install a clean water point and much more.

Get to know this 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!


A Year Later: Water for the Disabled a Reality!

April, 2022

A year ago, your generous donation helped Rotifunk Community in Sierra Leone access clean water – creating a life-changing moment for Abdulai. Thank you!

Keeping The Water Promise

There's an incredible community of monthly donors who have come alongside you in supporting clean water in Rotifunk Community 3.

This giving community supports ongoing sustainability programs that help Rotifunk Community 3 maintain access to safe, reliable water. Together, they keep The Water Promise.

We’re confident you'll love joining this world-changing group committed to sustainability!

Abdulai Kamara is a 46-year-old teacher and the chairman of the water user committee for the well at 22 Kasongha Road in Rotifunk. He is also disabled. And before we installed a well last year, he struggled to gain equal water access.

"Well, it was a very tedious and painful moment for me and my household [before this well was drilled], considering my condition. I used to spend a lot of money on water, and sometimes even with my little money I have, my family will not have water," shared Abdulai.

He continued, "The water point facility we used to fetch [from] would be very overcrowded, and during this time, only the strong will survive. Because of this, my home was very dirty, and there was no proper hygiene and sanitation, and it was having a negative impact on me as [a] disabled person and my family as [a] whole."

We asked Abdulai how he felt now that he has access to water every day.

He said, "This is one of my happiest moments in my entire life. Having access to clean and safe drinking water that is accessible and disabled-friendly near me is a blessing. As they say, water is life, and that life has been restored, especially in [the] disabled community."

Abdulai continued to share how it has changed his hygiene and financial situation. "Now, my hygiene and sanitation practices have revived, and my resources I used to spend on water have been saved. I am a happy man, and it's like a dream come true."

"My goals and plans have been for me to have access to [a] clean and safe drinking water facility that is reliable and disabled friendly. I thank God that plans have been accomplished through the kind-hearted and generous people who provided this waterpoint for us," said Abdulai.

"I am grateful to you and I will live to testify about this project in my entire life," concluded Abdulai.

Abdulai pumping water.


Navigating through intense dry spells, performing preventative maintenance, conducting quality repairs when needed and continuing to assist community leaders to manage water points are all normal parts of keeping projects sustainable. The Water Promise community supports ongoing sustainability programs that help Rotifunk Community 3 maintain access to safe, reliable water.

We’d love for you to join this world-changing group committed to sustainability.

The most impactful way to continue your support of Rotifunk Community 3 – and hundreds of other places just like this – is by joining our community of monthly givers.

Your monthly giving will help provide clean water, every month... keeping The Water Promise.


Contributors

Diane Tricomi, The Carpet Solution
The Soule Family
Culhane-Brogan Family
Pacific Tide Clothing
31 individual donor(s)