Rehabilitation Project
This project was implemented by another partner, but is now monitored and maintained by The Water Project together with Mariatu's Hope.
When the Sierra Leone team arrived, 300 community members were struggling with their well running dry during the dry season, so the team made four casings and sank them into the well and poured a cement base, then installed the new pump. Because of this and the community's practice of open defecation, families were suffering from dysentery and malaria among other preventable water related illnesses. During the team's stay, community members assembled a water committee consisting of five men and five women who assisted the team with the water project whenever possible, provided any materials they had available and guarded the team's equipment during the night. Most residents earn a living by farming and trading. There is a school located half of a kilometer away from the community whose students, teachers and administrative personnel now all have access to the new, safe water source.
The Sierra Leone team had an opportunity to meet with thirty-nine year old community member and civil servant, Mr. Amadu Tholley, who stated, "At first we used rope and bucket to fetch water and it took a long time to fetch water because the well is deep, and the water had a clay color. As for the new source it is simple and we send our children to the pump, because it is covered and well-sealed, so we have no fear for sending our children to fetch the water. The water is pure to drink without clay and no germs."
Immediately the people came out from the mosque, they came to the well site and listened to the hygiene lesson that we taught them. This made them feel happy. Since this is a new WASH committee set up at this well, no money had been collected. The committee has been instructed that they will need to impose a fee for water so when the pump has problems they can repair it themselves.
