Project Status



Project Type:  Well Rehab

Program: Water for Sierra Leone

Impact: 500 Served

Project Phase:  Decommissioned

Project Features


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Community Profile

This project was implemented by another partner, but is now monitored and maintained by The Water Project together with Mariatu's Hope.

General Information:
The well rehab was at the central mosque located in Lungi, Mayaya which is in the Port Loko district of Sierra Leone. The well was constructed by Oxfam in 1998. It had been spoiled for 7 months. The community was drinking from the swamp. Sicknesses encountered from the water source were dysentery, typhoid and malaria. The old pump was pulled. The cylinder had fallen apart and some of the pipes and sucker rods were rusted together. A new afridev was installed. There was such joy in the community that this well was rehabilitated. Most people in the community earn a living through fishing, agriculture, and petty trading. When the project was complete, the community established a water committee and a point person to be the caretaker of the well.

Testimony from a community member:
Mariatu Dumbuya, female farmer spoke with the team about the water needs for her community. "I gladdy, gladdy (I’m very happy). There is no comparison between the swamp and this. This water from the well is so much better for us than drinking from the swamp and it’s so much closer. Moe- moe (thank you)!"

Hygiene Teaching:
It was an incredible hygiene training. While the hygiene girls were behind one of the houses with the ladies, I had a great conversation with about 12 men about their community, hygiene and building native toilets. The sensitizing about feces, flies and rice was eye opening for them. After showing them that, they had many questions about the native toilets. We will do follow up with this community to help them work towards ODF (open defecation free) status. The community was able to be honest about their hygiene practices and come to some very frank decisions. We will continue to work with them, encouraging where needed. There were 53 adults and 60 children who attended this training.

Project Updates


December, 2017: New Intervention in Mayaya Community

The initial project in this community (seen in the reporting found on this page) is a display of our shared commitment to helping this community with first time water access. Equally as important to the community and The Water Project is ongoing support to make sure that water is reliable, day after day, year after year. This is why we monitor all our projects. Over time we’ve found that the water table has dropped in this area, limiting the intended benefit of this well. Though not common, this does happen from time to time.  

Because of our commitment to people in this community (and the lasting impact that our supporters want to make), we’ve drilled this well deeper in order to access a deeper, higher yield aquifer. This work will ensure that clean water is accessible here year round. To see that work, click here.




Project Photos


Project Type

Well rehabilitation is one of the most cost effective ways to bring clean, safe water to a community.  Sometimes it involves fixing a broken hand pump, other times it means sealing a hand dug well to prevent it from being contaminated.  These repairs, and often time total replacements, coupled with sanitation and hygiene training make a huge impact in communities.


Sponsors


30 individual donors
Christian Challenge
Bethlehem Lutheran Church
Duane & Katrina Weaver