Rehabilitation Project
This well rehabilitation project is part of the Waterloo, Penninsula Jr. Secondary School Zone.
The team has visited the well site and determined that this project will require deepening before they can attach a new well pump. The well is located at a primary school.
Recent severe droughts in the area have caused most of the wells we are now encountering to require this deepening. Without it, the wells are
at risk of drying up later in the year. This had caused very long delays in our program here, though we're glad that progress is still being made.
The well project is in one of the communities surrounding the Waterloo, Peninsula Jr. Secondary School. Students at this school live in the this community. These students now have access to clean, safe water at their school and at home. The students have also been trained how to teach their fellow community members about proper hygiene.
Our implementing partner reports from the field...
A LWI Sierra Leone team member stated, "The excitement of the group was remarkable. We held this training with the school across the road where we're also rehabilitating their well. It was really great to have these teachers working together, sharing their teaching ideas and seeing just how different the two schools are. It was so great seeing their excitement about the training and the hope they have for the future of this country."
When the team arrived, community members were utilizing a protected hand dug well to meet all of their water needs and because of this residents were suffering from dysentery, typhoid and malaria. During the team’s stay, community members assisted the team with the water project whenever possible, provided any materials they had available and helped the team provide security over the water project during the night. Most community members sustain their families by working as teachers, doctors, nurses, petty trading or working in other professions. The nearest school is located in the community whose students, teachers and administrative personnel all have access to the new, safe water source. Before leaving the community, the team provided community member, Amara Koroma, with a LWI Sierra Leone contact number in case their well were to fall into disrepair, become subject to vandalism or theft.
The team had an opportunity to meet with twenty-three year old community member and trader, Kadiatu Koroma, who stated, "The stream water that we are drinking is not pure and it is contaminated with germs and bacteria. The new hand pump is secured and will prevent germs and sickness. We say many thanks to Living Water and The Water Project for saving our lives!"
The LWI Sierra Leone team shared an introductory hygiene lesson with community members, students and teachers. During the hygiene education, the team addressed: Disease transmission, germs, hand washing, proper water saving techniques, healthy and unhealthy communities, Oral Rehydration Solution, how to take proper care of the pump, how to keep the water clean, tippy tap and simple hand washing devises, community mapping – identifying good and bad hygiene behaviors, clean hands and clean hearts and dental hygiene. The teachers were really excited about the hygiene training. Some of the female teachers were part of the SDA ladies' ministry and they were talking about making tippy taps with the ladies at the next meeting. They also wanted to present some hygiene lessons to them. It was so encouraging and exciting to see their excitement.
