Project Status



Project Type:  Dug Well and Hand Pump

Regional Program: Port Loko, Sierra Leone WaSH Program

Impact: 500 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - May 2017

Functionality Status:  Functional

Last Checkup: 01/24/2024

Project Features


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Community Profile

Welcome to the Community

Tintafor, a small town in Sierra Leone, has a population of 545. (Editor's Note: While this many people may have access on any given day, realistically a single water source can only support a population of 350-500 people.  This community would be a good candidate for a second project in the future so adequate water is available. To learn more, click here.)

People who live in the military barracks here have more safety and security compared with the rest of the community. The influence of the military lifestyle is apparent, as children are taught from an early age to live a disciplined life. They are expected to do chores in the morning because helping their parents is an expectation and a priority. Having a family member in the military is seen as a luxury for most children. The soldiers are entitled to two bags of rice at the end of every month. After their chores, children are given the choice of a pot full of leftover rice or a loaf of bread with a rice tea mixture.

Water Situation

During the months when the well identified for rehabilitation dries up, the community has to fetch water from an unprotected well. (Editor's Note: There are pictures of two different wells, one which is protected with a pump and one unprotected with no pump. There are two pictures of the well we plan to rehabilitate: one of the pump sitting idle, since there's no longer any water, and one of the well open and being prepared for work. The third picture is of a woman fetching water from the unprotected well.)

At the unprotected well, community members use five-gallon containers tied to the end of a thick rope to fetch water. The container is cut on both sides, which allows it to fill faster. Fetching water from the 20-foot deep well is physically demanding, especially for small children. The well is unprotected and open, which leads to contamination of the water with microorganisms. There is even mildew and grass at the surface of the well! The rope and container used to fetch the water are thrown on the ground, which contributes to its unsanitary conditions. The water source is also often contaminated by surface runoff, human and animal activities.

The fetched water is stored in drums for the people who live in the barracks. People in the military have more resources; they are provided with medical care and are equipped with water treatment methods. The rest of the community uses five-gallon containers, frequently without lids, to store contaminated water that is not treated.

The presence of contaminants in this hand-dug well's water leads to adverse health effects. The community outside the barracks purchases antibiotics from drug peddlers. The quality and appropriateness of these antibiotics is questionable and their use may contribute to the development of multi-drug resistant organisms.

Sanitation and Hygiene Situation

A quarter of the households don’t have access to latrines. For those that have access they are predominantly pit latrines with walls and roofs. (Editors Note: Open defecation — the practice of disposing human feces in the fields, forests, bushes, and open bodies of water — is an issue the community could potentially be facing). Compared to the rest of the community, people in the barracks are more diligent about cleaning the latrines. The community could be in this predicament due to lack of access. High levels of open defecation could have health related consequences including high child morality and malnutrition. More than 75% of households have bathing rooms. However, fewer than 25% of households have tippy taps or hand-washing stations. For some families, having a hand-washing station is not the problem; it is having access to cleansing agents, such as soap or ash that perpetuates unsanitary conditions. The soldiers’ barracks are well maintained and clean. At the end of the day, all trash is thrown into a hole and burned. The rest of the community throws garbage just few feet away into a banana farm. There is a cultural belief that the garbage will increase the banana production. Overall, the community has a positive attitude towards hygiene and sanitation and is excited to attend training.

Plans: Sanitation and Hygiene Training

Training will last for three hours a day for three days. The facilitators have already assessed sanitation here and decided that hand-washing and using the latrine will be strongly emphasized. Though a few hand-washing stations were observed during our initial visit, we require that each and every family have their own place to wash their hands. During our hand-washing sessions, community members will be taught how to make their own hand-washing station out of a plastic jerrycan, sticks, and rope. These are the best solution for rural areas, since all the materials are all easily replaceable. Though pit latrines in this community are well-built, we also require that every family have their own.

Training will also result in the formation of a water user committee that will take responsibility for their new well. The members will manage and maintain the pump to the best of their ability, and will call our office if they need a mechanic to make a repair.

Plans: Well Rehabilitation

The well marked for this overhaul needs major work to supply adequate, clean water to the community once again. The pump will be removed, and a man will be lowered inside with a hand auger. This hand auger will allow the team to drill several meters deeper to hit a new water table, which will ensure the well supplies water throughout the drier seasons. As the team drills, casing will be installed, transforming this hand-dug well into a pseudo-borehole. PVC piping will connect this lower system directly to the pump, a construction that we know will also improve the quality of water.

Once this plan is implemented, everyone within the community will have access to safe drinking water in both quality and quantity.

Project Updates


September, 2018: A Year Later: Tintafor, Officers' Quarters

A year ago, generous donors helped construct a well for the community around the Officers' Quarters in Tintafor, Sierra Leone. The contributions of incredible monthly donors and others giving directly to The Water Promise allow teams to visit project sites throughout the year, strengthening relationships with communities and evaluating the water project over time. These consistent visits allow us to learn vital lessons and hear amazing stories. Read more...




Project Photos


Project Type

Hand-dug wells have been an important source of water throughout human history! Now, we have so many different types of water sources, but hand-dug wells still have their place. Hand dug wells are not as deep as borehole wells, and work best in areas where there is a ready supply of water just under the surface of the ground, such as next to a mature sand dam. Our artisans dig down through the layers of the ground and then line the hole with bricks, stone, or concrete, which prevent contamination and collapse. Then, back up at surface level, we install a well platform and a hand pump so people can draw up the water easily.


A Year Later: Tintafor, Officers' Quarters

August, 2018

The hygiene and sanitation levels in this community have noticeably improved!

Keeping The Water Promise

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

This giving community supports ongoing sustainability programs that help Tintafor Community 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!

A year ago, generous donors helped construct a well for the community around the Officers' Quarters in Tintafor, Sierra Leone. The contributions of incredible monthly donors and others giving directly to The Water Promise allow teams to visit project sites throughout the year, strengthening relationships with communities and evaluating the water project over time. These consistent visits allow us to learn vital lessons and hear amazing stories – we’re excited to share this one from Madieu Turay with you.


The monitoring and evaluation officer who visited Tintafor Officer's Quarters saw this area as one of the most hygienic in this chiefdom.

All the compounds in this community are very clean, and the well's surroundings are perfectly clean. There is no issue with open defecation in this community, and there were many more clotheslines, dish racks, and tippy taps as compared to the previous years.

Alimatu Kargbo

"This community is always clean," Mrs. Alimatu Kargbo agreed.

The well now makes fetching water more convenient for people living nearby. Sarah Turay, a 17-year-old student, says she now spends more time on her studies now that she does not have to spend hours to fetch water each day. It is also a more reliable source of water.

"The well was normally dry during the dry season, but since the intervention of this project last year, we are now boastful of yearly water well," Mrs. Kargbo said.

Installation of the well is only one step along the journey toward sustainable access to clean water. The Water Project is committed to consistent monitoring of each water source. Our monitoring and evaluation program, made possible by donors like you, allows us to maintain our relationships with communities by visiting up to 4 times each year to ensure that the water points are safe and reliable.

This is just one of the many ways that we monitor projects and communicate with you. Additionally, you can always check the functionality status and our project map to see how all of our water points are performing, based on our consistent monitoring data.

One project is just a drop in the bucket towards ending the global water crisis, but the ripple effects of this project are truly astounding. This functional well in Tintafor Community is changing many lives.

Sarah Turay

This is not possible without the web of support and trust built between The Water Project, our local teams, the community, and you. We are excited to stay in touch with this community and support their journey with safe water.

Read more about The Water Promise and how you can help.


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 Tintafor Community 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 Tintafor Community – 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

Project Underwriter - Summertown Baptist Church/Youth Group
Navias Family Foundation
26 individual donor(s)