June, 2022: Sangoya Community Well Rehabilitation Complete!

We are excited to share that a safe, reliable water point at Sangoya Community in Sierra Leone is now providing clean water to neighboring community members! We also conducted hygiene and sanitation training, which focused on healthy practices such as handwashing and using latrines.

"I had experienced [a] water crisis in my community wherein it takes me more time collecting water for my mother. She is a trader selling fish," said 15-year-old Adama D.

"When she returns home, I must fetch enough water to wash the fish, and this situation was a burden on me. Now, I can easily fetch water. I really appreciate [it] and say thanks."

Adama, on the left in the red shirt, cups water in her hands.

"The water well in my community is helping me to go to school early," Adama continued. "Before, I [would] go to school late, and I was having issues with my teachers because I [had to] fetch water before going to school. I struggled [a] lot to access water in my village. Now, I will fetch water easily."

"I am happy for such [a] project in my community," said 45-year-old farmer, Salamatu Turay.

Salamatu drinks water at the well.

"Having good water in my village is a blessing I appreciate. Before, I was experiencing water problems, but now I have access to safe drinking water. No more water crisis. I will no longer be walking far distances to access water because there is [a] good water well in my community."

Salamatu and Adama (center) celebrate with their fellow community members.

"Now, this water well will help me achieve my daily activities," Salamatu continued.

"I usually assist [with] childbirth in the community and it needs enough water. Before, it was difficult to access water in this community, but now I can accomplish my tasks. I will take great care of the water well and monitor it [to] make sure the community people abide by the rules and regulations."

We held a dedication ceremony to officially hand over the well to the community members. Several local dignitaries attended the ceremony, including representatives from the Port Loko District Council and the Ministry of Water Resources.

Each official gave a short speech thanking everyone who contributed to the rehabilitation of the water project and reminding everyone to take good care of it. Then, Salamatu and Adama made statements on their community's behalf. The ceremony concluded with celebration, singing, and dancing.

Clean Water Restored

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

First, we raised the tripod, the structure we use to hold and maneuver each drilling tool. Next, we measured the well's original depth. We then socketed the pipes and installed a casing.

Finally, we lined up the drill rods and started to drill! We reached a final depth of 16 meters with water at ten meters. The hand-drill method allowed the team to install the cylinder far below the aquifer so that the community has excellent water access throughout the year.

With drilling complete, we installed screening and a filter pack to keep out debris when the water is pumped. We then cemented an iron rod to the well lining and fixed it with an iron collar at the top.

Next, we bailed the well by hand for three days and flushed it, clearing any debris generated by the drilling process. Finally, we tested the yield to ensure the well would provide clean water with minimal effort at the pump.

Bailing the dirty water from the well.

As the project neared completion, we built a new cement platform, walls, and drainage system around the well to seal it off from surface-level contaminants. The drainage system helps to redirect runoff and spilled water to help avoid standing water at the well, which can be uncomfortable and unhygienic and a breeding ground for disease-carrying mosquitoes.

At last, we installed the pump and conducted a water quality test. The test results showed that this was clean water fit for drinking!

New Knowledge

Before conducting any hygiene training, we called and visited the local water user committee to understand the community’s challenges and lack of sanitation facilities. We shared the findings from our discussions with the committee members to help them make the necessary adjustments before the training began. For example, we identified households without handwashing stations or ones that may need to repair their latrines. With this information, community members worked together to improve hygiene and sanitation at home.

After this preparatory period, we scheduled a time when members from each household using the water point could attend a three-day hygiene and sanitation training. We then dispatched our teams to the agreed-upon location to hold the meeting. On each of the three days, more than one representative from each household attended the training, demonstrating Sangoya Community's commitment to change.

Training topics covered included handwashing and tippy taps, good and bad hygiene habits, disease transmission and prevention, COVID-19, worms and parasites, dental hygiene, proper care of the well's pump, keeping the water clean, the cost recovery system, dish racks and clotheslines, the importance of toilets, keeping latrines clean, balanced diets, the diarrhea doll, and HIV and AIDS.

"The training was so important to me because I know the differences between the good and bad hygiene practices that I was doing unknowingly," said 45-year-old farmer, Mbalu Kanyu.

"This training has helped me gain new knowledge on personal hygiene, especially open defecation, which is frequently practiced in this community. Now I know that mosquitoes can transmit diseases such as malaria. Now I know how to prevent from being infected [by] such diseases, especially malaria, which is common in this community."

"I am aware that typhoid can [be] acquired through contaminated foods, cockroaches, and water with feces of an infected person. HIV/AIDS cannot be only transmitted through sexual intercourse, but also can [be] transmitted from an infected person [through] sharp objects like razor blades, needles, syringes, and knives used by more than one person."

One of the most notable topics during the training was open defecation - when people defecate anywhere within a community rather than in a toilet or latrine. While this discussion was happening, one of the children in attendance went behind the training venue to do just that.

When people pointed it out, the child's mother was embarrassed and said it would be too difficult to force her small children to always go to a latrine. Facilitators suggested having children use a portable bucket or stool that a parent can then empty into their family's latrine, and the mother agreed that that sounded doable.

Mosquito net use is demonstrated.

Another topic that community members found particularly enlightening was malaria and elephantiasis, which no one in Sangoya knew are transmitted through infected mosquito bites. At first, community members argued that witchcraft was the cause of such illnesses, but one of the community elders urged his fellow community members to listen, especially given how the community had mistreated those who had become infected with these diseases in the past. Facilitators urged community members with mosquito nets to use them properly and reminded everyone to eradicate possible places where mosquitos can breed.

This project required a substantial collaboration between our staff, our partners, and the community members themselves. When an issue arises concerning the well, community members are equipped with the necessary skills to rectify the problem and ensure the water point works appropriately. However, if the issue is beyond their capabilities, they can contact our field officers to assist them.

Also, we will continue to offer them unmatchable support as a part of our ongoing monitoring and maintenance program. We have an ongoing commitment to walk with each community, cooperatively problem-solving when they face challenges of any kind: with functionality, seasonality, or water quality. With all these components together, we strive to ensure enduring access to reliable, clean, and safe water for this community.

With your contribution, one more piece has been added to a large puzzle of water projects. In our target areas, we’re working toward complete coverage of reliable, maintained water sources within a 30-minute round trip for each community, household, school, and health center. With this in mind, search through our upcoming projects to see which community you can help next!

Thank you for making all of this possible!

April, 2022: Sangoya Community Well Rehabilitation Underway!

A severe clean water shortage in Sangoya Community 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 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!