Rehabilitation Project
For the 225 people living in Kyamukudumi, collecting sufficient water to meet their daily needs is exhausting and frustrating.
Community members rely on a local spring for their water, but it presents several issues.
Several communities and the local prison share the water point, making it overcrowded and leading to disagreements. It is common for people to have to wait up to four hours each time to collect water, delaying other essential tasks and frustrating everyone.
To get to the water source, people must take their chances and cross a busy road, risking injury.
"I collect water from Mwatantayo Spring, which is across the main road. I am always scared of the speedy vehicles that can knock me [down]," said 8-year-old Justus A., seen below at the spring.
He continued: "The surrounding [area] is bushy and covered with trees, so it harbors wild animals like monkeys, which scare me whenever I go to collect water."
The water point has a very short spout, and water does not flow freely away from the collection point since there is no drainage. This causes stagnant water to pool around the drawing point. And the spring's water quality is questionable, especially during the rainy season when the water changes color. People consuming the water often report cases of diarrhea and typhoid.
There is also a local public standpipe to use for water, but it has its own challenges.
"I collect water from the tap, which is unreliable (on and off), and the tap water is also salty, meaning I cannot use it for cooking food. When I use this water for washing clothes, it does not form [a] lather," said 37-year-old housewife Proscovia Kahwa, seen below collecting water at the spring.
Hopefully, by installing a borehole well in this community, people will be able to safely and quickly access clean drinking water and invest their time in improving their daily lives.
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.
