Project Status



Project Type:  Borehole Well and Hand Pump

Regional Program: Western Uganda WaSH Program

Impact: 300 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - Jan 2023

Functionality Status:  Functional

Last Checkup: 04/16/2024

Project Features


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Community Profile

In Kyakaki Kyawandera, people spend too much time walking and waiting in lines to collect water. There are two water points in the community, but well over a thousand people rely on them. With such high demand, frequent breakdowns and arguments break out between community members because of the long wait times.

The current water sources are very far away for this particular area of Kyakaki Kyawandera, where 300 people live. When community members walk to collect water and wait in line, it is often a two-hour trip, which is often repeated more than once a day. That is a lot of wasted time that could be used towards adults increasing livelihoods and students learning in school.

When the wells are not operating, or people do not have the time or energy to walk the long distance, they resort to open water sources scattered throughout the community. These are dangerous to drink from and lead to waterborne illnesses.

"In this catchment (area), we have only one borehole, and with the high population, there are always frequent breakdowns, which force us to share the existing open water sources with animals. During dry seasons, the open water sources dry, and this pushes us to walk extra miles to access water from the neighboring villages," said Bizibu Charles, a 56-year-old farmer, shown above.

Provia, 9, shown above carrying water from the faraway well, said, "I hate going to collect water, especially in the evenings where there is too much congestion. The elder boys and girls push us and ensure they collect water before us even when I arrived before them. This has led to several fights, causing violence and hatred within the community."

Having a well in this area will ease the burden on the community's other water points and give the residents access to clean, safe water quickly.

Here's what we're going to do about it:

New Borehole

This new borehole is an exciting opportunity for this community! We work with the community to determine the best possible sites for this well.

We conducted a hydrogeological survey and the results indicated the water table is an ideal candidate for a borehole well. Due to a borehole well's unique ability to tap into a safe, year-round water column, it will be poised to serve all of the water needs for this community, even through the dry months.

Community members will help collect the needed construction materials such as sand, rocks, and water for mixing cement. They will also provide housing and meals for the work team, in addition to providing local laborers. We will complement their materials by providing an expert team of artisans and drilling professionals, tools, hardware, and the hand-pump. Once finished, water from the well will then be used by community members for drinking, handwashing, cooking, cleaning, and much more.

Training

Training's main objectives are the use of latrines and observing proper hygiene practices since these goals are inherently connected to the provision of clean water. Open defecation, water storage in unclean containers and the absence of hand-washing are all possible contaminants of a household water supply. Each participating village must achieve Open Defecation Free status (defined by one latrine per household) prior to the pump installation for this borehole well.

This social program includes the assignment of one Community Development Officer (CDO) to each village. The CDO encourages each household to build an ideal homestead that includes: a latrine, a handwashing facility, a separate structure for animals, a rubbish pit and a drying rack for dishes.

We also implement the Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) approach with each of our village partners. This aims to improve the sanitation and hygiene practices and behaviors of a village. During these sessions, village leaders naturally emerge and push the community to realize that the current practices of individual households – particularly the practice of open defecation – are not only unhealthy, but affect the entire village. CLTS facilitates a process in which community members realize the negative consequences of their current water, sanitation and hygiene behaviors and are inspired to take action. Group interactions are frequent motivators for individual households to build latrines, use them, and demand that other households do the same.

Improved Sanitation

The aim is that all households own an improved latrine. Many households do not use a latrine but use the bush. Due to open defecation, feces are spread all over the village. This leads to waterborne diseases and contamination of groundwater and surface water. Our aim is that the community is able to live a healthy life free of preventable diseases. We endeavor that at the end of our presence in the community, people will have both access to sustainable, clean water and access to sanitation. We have now organized families to form digging groups for latrine construction, and empowered them with tools to use.

Project Updates


January, 2023: Kyakaki Kyawandera Borehole Well Complete!

A new borehole well drilled in Kyakaki Kyawandera Community, Uganda is already providing community members with clean, safe water! Additionally, we hosted a training where community members worked together to make a development action plan for their area. As a result, families are working to build new sanitation and hygiene facilities, tools, and habits that will help improve their living standards and enable a healthier life.

"In this village, we only had one borehole [well], which was always congested due to the big numbers, and each time I went to collect water, it would take me more than one hour waiting," said 57-year-old farmer Charles Bizibu.

Charles at the well.

"This would sometimes force me to go to open sources, which are shared with animals. [I] am happy that now this borehole is nearer to my home, and being the chairperson of this source, I will ensure that this borehole is well-maintained so that we do not get back to where we were before."

Charles continued: "I plan to encourage all the members of this community to join [our new] savings group so that we are able to sustain the operation and maintenance of this borehole. Now that I have enough time to concentrate on other activities, I plan to begin providing my animals with water while at home as compared to walking very long distances to access water like before."

10-year-old Calvin said: "I am very happy that now I am able to help my parents collect water while they are in the gardens, as compared to before when they feared sending me to collect water due to the risks and long distance we had to walk to get water, which was not very favorable to [us] children. Besides, [I] am happy to see what a borehole looks like."

Calvin at the well, carrying her little sister.

"I plan to improve on my personal hygiene now that I am able to easily access water from the borehole, and also [I will] use the water to bathe my little sister whenever she plays and gets dirty," Calvin concluded.

New Borehole

We worked with the community to determine the best possible site to drill this new well. We confirmed the site's eligibility by conducting a hydrogeological survey, which proves that the water table belowground is at a sustainable level before drilling begins.

Charles and other commuity members with the materials they brought for construction.

Several households volunteered to host our team of drilling technicians, giving them a place to sleep and food to eat throughout their work. Many community members also came to the work site each day to watch the drilling and see the well come to life.

When it came time to build the cement well pad, community members found fine sand and water to mix the cement. After the cement platform dried, we installed a stainless steel Consallen pump, which is now flowing with clean, safe water!

Training

The self-help group associated with the project was set up and began training in advance of selecting this project.

The first training session focused on financial planning. We mobilized the community through a series of meetings that sensitized them on the importance and purpose of saving. This included meetings dedicated to creating a community profile, where participants map the physical environment and stakeholders in their own community. We also ran a participatory vulnerability capacity assessment exercise. In this session, community members mapped out their shared risks and opportunities, including the water point breaking down.

Participants learning. This is a representative photo from a similar Self-Help Group training in Uganda.

Next, we scheduled the savings group training date with the community. We planned for a one-day training to form the savings group and discuss the best practices for maintaining and managing it.

We worked with the community to establish a Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) and a water user committee. The savings group set up a fund to provide small loans to each other and another fund they will use to pay for any repairs to the well if an issue arises. The group also agreed on a social fund that will provide grants to fellow group members and help them with funeral expenses or catastrophes such as fire damage. Our teams will provide follow-up training to support putting the savings group into practice while also offering continuous coaching in records management.

Participant engagement is key. This is a representative photo from a similar Self-Help Group training in Uganda.

Additional training sessions will happen in the near future focused on hygiene and sanitation at the personal, household, community, and environmental levels. In collaboration with the community facilitator and local leaders, we will train households on critical hygiene and sanitation facilities to build. These include latrines, dish racks, refuse pits, handwashing facilities, and bathing shelters. Our teams monitor these facilities’ construction while helping the community learn how to best use and care for them.

Finally, we will lead an additional training for local artisans to teach them how to fabricate and sell locally used and accepted sanitation products that allow for more hygienic and accessible latrines.

Just as with the financial training, we will continue to support the community in their sanitation and hygiene progress through monitoring visits. In addition, we will offer follow-up assistance and refresher training to ensure community members follow through in building their new facilities and developing new habits.

Conclusion

This project required a substantial collaboration between our staff, our in-country teams, and the community members themselves. When an issue arises concerning the well, the group 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 their local field officers to assist them.

Also, we will continue to offer them unmatchable support as a part of our monitoring and maintenance program. We walk with each community, problem-solving together when they face challenges with functionality, seasonality, or water quality. Together, all these components help us strive for 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!




December, 2022: Kyakaki Kyawandera Community Well Underway!

A severe clean water shortage in Kyakaki Kyawandera 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!




Project Photos


Project Type

Abundant water is often right under our feet! Beneath the Earth’s surface, rivers called aquifers flow through layers of sediment and rock, providing a constant supply of safe water. For borehole wells, we drill deep into the earth, allowing us to access this water which is naturally filtered and protected from sources of contamination at the surface level. First, we decide where to drill by surveying the area and determining where aquifers are likely to sit. To reach the underground water, our drill rigs plunge through meters (sometimes even hundreds of meters!) of soil, silt, rock, and more. Once the drill finds water, we build a well platform and attach a hand pump. If all goes as planned, the community is left with a safe, closed water source providing around five gallons of water per minute! Learn more here!


A Year Later: Reliable Water Whenever Needed!

April, 2024

A year ago, your generous donation helped the Kyakaki Kyawandera Community in Uganda access clean water – creating a life-changing moment for Charles. Thank you!

Keeping The Water Promise

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

This giving community supports ongoing sustainability programs that help Kyakaki Kyawandera 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!

Farmer Charles Bizibu recalled what life was like in the Kyakaki Kyawandera Community before his community’s well was installed last year.

“I used to fetch water from another water point in this village, but it was too distant (about 1 km [away]). There was always overcrowding because that waterpoint was used by more than two villages. This would always make me wait for long hours, hence delaying my other activities. This waterpoint would frequently break down because it was so stressed, so whenever it would break down, I would move to another waterpoint which was further (about 2.5 km),” said 57-year-old Charles.

Since the new well was implemented, collecting water has been quicker and simpler for Charles and the other community members in Kyakaki Kyawandera.

“I am assured of the water all the time [when] I need it. I no longer have to move long distances hence, I save a lot of time, which gives me an opportunity to do my other work. The waterpoint is working well and doesn't frequently break down like the one where I used to fetch water before. There are no queues, so any time I go, I just collect water and move [on],” continued Charles.

Charles pumping water from the new well.

Having ready access to water from the well has made a difference for Charles, allowing him to reserve his energy for other important daily tasks and dream about new ventures for the future.

When we asked Charles how water access would change his future, he said he plans to expand his piggery project. Doing this will hopefully increase his family's security.

Charles examines bricks made with water.


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 Kyakaki Kyawandera 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 Kyakaki Kyawandera 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.


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