Rehabilitation Project
The report below from our partner in the field gives some great information on the construction of a new hand-dug well in the Kahara Kapole II Kadambi community in Uganda:
Background:
Kahara Kapole II Kadambi is a part of the greater Kahara village which is located in Kyankende parish, Kiryandongo sub-county, Kiryandongo district. This village, whose residents are mainly subsistent farmers with a few engaged in commercial agriculture, grow tobacco and maize for cash while sweet potatoes and cassava are grown for food security. This village has a small trading center where residents converge in the evening to socialize and meet up with other residents at the end of a long day of work in their gardens.
Access to clean water is a major problem to the residents here as they draw water from the open sources around the village which they believe to be unsafe for human consumption. Some members from the greater village of Kahara had successfully applied and constructed a shallow hand dug well with the Water Trust and it is against this back ground that Mr. Mukwana David the village chairman decided to apply for a water source from the Water Trust on behalf of the community he leads.
Kadambi Moses, 57, a father of seven and an opinion leader of this village, is convinced that this village would develop faster if they had access to clean water. He says that residents here spent most of their valuable savings to treat water borne disease which could be avoided if they had access to clean water. From the recent experiences of their neighbours, they were compelled to apply for a protected water source and have started to mobilize the necessary local materials required as community contribution which includes: a trip of sand and hardcore, 2000 bricks and voluntary labour for excavation of the well. They have also identified a family to host the TWT contracted technician with accommodation and meals during the construction process of the well.
The Water Trust (TWT) will have an intensive program to provide access to clean water and sanitation in this village. The community will participate in excavating and constructing the water source. In the meantime the aim is that all households own an improved latrine. Many households do not use a latrine but use the bush. Due to the practice of open defecation, faeces are spread all over the village and contaminate open water sources. Our aim is to ensure that the community is able to live a healthy life, free of preventable waterborne diseases. We strive to work in partnership with the community to access safe clean water and improved sanitation.
Construction Progress:
August 8, 2014
This week Christopher the technician and the community volunteers have had a good week excavating through soft formation reaching the water table at 13 ft. The community contribution of sand and hard core were delivered to site by Hassan the TWT Tipper Truck driver and Fred the intern. Due to the heavy rains last week, a tractor had to be organized to deliver the community contribution of 2000 bricks to the site.
August 15, 2014
Another good week for Christopher the technician and the community volunteers, they have successfully reached a depth of 21 ft and achieved a water column of 8ft. It was noted that the soil formation has started to become soft so Christopher will begin to line the well to stabilize the walls and monitor the situation as the deepening process continues.
August 22, 2014
The progress on this well was steady. Christopher the technician has bricked up the protection wall but will need an additional 300 bricks and half a trip of sand to complete the well. The recharge on this well looks good and will be measured next week.
Sanitation and Hygiene Progress:
The main objectives of TWT’s Sanitation and Hygiene Program are the use of latrines and observing proper hygiene practices as these goals are inherently connected to the provision of clean water. Open defecation, water storage in unclean containers and the absence of hand washing at critical times are all possible contaminates to the water supply at the household level. TWT leverages this relationship by requiring each participating village to achieve Open Defecation Free status (defined by one latrine per household), prior to the pump installation for a shallow hand dug well. Using the immediate gratification of clean water as an impetus, TWT works toward sustainable, interdisciplinary WASH development.
The Water Trust’s social program includes the assignment of one Community Development Officer (CDO) per village. The CDO encourages each household to build an ideal homestead that includes: a latrine with hand-washing facility, a rubbish pit, separate structure for animals and drying rack for dishes.
Community Led Total Sanitation
The Water Trust implements the Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) approach with each of our village partners. TWT facilitates a CLTS session in which we aim 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 current practices of individual households – particularly 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 the latrines and demand that other households do the same.
