Borehole Well and Hand Pump
Rehabilitation Project
The 241 residents of Mathankoh face daily hardships due to their ongoing water crisis. The most pressing challenge is the time lost fetching water from distant sources—time and energy that could be spent on work, education, and improving their lives.
Community members haul water for their daily needs.
In 2022, we attempted to convert a protected dug well in the community, but the conversion was unsuccessful. The well dried up before we could hand it over. It now only provides water seasonally, which leaves the community desperately searching for water wherever it can find it.
Often that leads people to collect water from the local swamp.
"It appears like [the] water [is] mixed with [a] white substance. It smells fishy," shared Field Officer Alimamy Kanu.
"The water from these sources is not enough for the community, and that prevents them from getting enough water for drinking [and] cooking purposes. The school-going pupils are always late to go to school due to the unavailability of water in the community. Their exam grades are always affected as a result of that," he continued.
Fatima collecting water.
Fatima, a young girl in the community, shares how the water crisis impacts her. "I always feel unhappy when I am asked to fetch water. This is because the water source is far away from the community."
"Fetching water takes so long as a result of the crowd at the water source. Sometimes, there is quarreling and fighting at the water source, and that makes fetching water take so long. There are some times when community members have been unkind to me, for those who are older than me always want to fetch water before me. Sometimes, I am pushed behind, and that always makes me get water late," Fatima continued.
"As a result of the distance and insufficient water at the water source, my time at school is impacted. I always go to school late, and [my] performance at school cannot be compared [to] when there is enough water within the community."
Fatima hauls water up from the dug well that had a failed drilling attempt in 2022.
The community needs a borehole so they have access to reliable water nearby and still have time to make progress in their daily lives. This will allow Fatima to attend school regularly and community members to attend to their daily tasks.
Steps Toward a Solution
Our technical experts worked with the local community to identify the most effective solution to their water crisis. They decided to drill a borehole well, construct a platform for the well, and attach a hand pump.
Well
Abundant water often lies just beneath our feet. Aquifers—natural underground rivers—flow through layers of sediment and rock, offering a constant supply of safe water. A borehole well is drilled deep into the earth to access this naturally filtered and protected water. We penetrate meters, sometimes even hundreds of meters, of soil, silt, rock, and more to reach the water underground. Once found, we construct a platform for the well and attach a hand pump. The community gains a safe, enclosed water source capable of providing approximately five gallons of water per minute. Learn more here!
Community Education & Ownership
Hygiene and sanitation training are integral to our water projects. Training is tailored to each community's specific needs and includes key topics such as proper water handling, improved hygiene practices, disease transmission prevention, and care of the new water point. Safe water and improved hygiene habits foster a healthier future for everyone in the community. Encouraged and supported by the guidance of our team, a water user committee representative of the community's diverse members assumes responsibility for maintaining the water point, often gathering fees to ensure its upkeep.
