Conclusion Of Foni Kansala District Rehab Tour Phase-2, West Coast Region – The Gambia

The excitement and happiness is overwhelming for the community. They now have access to clean drinking water

Foni Kansala District is one of the nine districts of the Gambia‘s West Coast Region, which is located to the south of the Gambia River in the southwest of the country. Foni Kansala is in the southeast of the Region, between Foni Bintang-Karenai and Foni Bondali. This area of the country is prone to illegal deforestation especially in rosewood. The area is also prone to wildfires and as a result this has led to scarcity of fresh drinking water. According to Global Forest Watch reports, in 2010, Foni Kansala District has 29.9ha of tree cover, extending over 0.21% of its land area. In 2009, it lost 75.0mha of tree cover, equivalent to 23.0t of CO2 of emissions. In Foni Kansala District, the peak fire season typically begins in mid-February and lasts around 12 weeks. All these factors have made life harder for the indigenous tribes that live within the district especially when it comes to clean drinking water. Notably the district is dominated by the Jola tribe and a handful of Mandinka and Fula tribe.

The district, along with other districts bordering Southern Senegal, has played host to thousands of refugees fleeing the Southern Senegalese region of Casamance’s crisis which saw fighting between Senegalese forces and Cassamance separatist rebels. This has had serious difficulties both economic and social affecting the district, among which is the scarcity of clean drinking water. Environmental issues are still persistent due to illegal logging causing mass deforestation within the district.

Baro Kunda Village

  • Women testing the hand pump feeling excited and happy now that they have clean drinking water
  • Children also learning to do proper hand washing using the hand washing station
  • Collection of water samples for testing before drinking after all works have been completed
  • Water testing report from the laboratory, after completion of works
  • Installing the new conversion head after the old one has been dismantled

OUTCOME

The second phase of this project has been successfully completed thanks to Water Charity and its local partner Working Water The Gambia (WWG). This is part of a series of projects launched under the Water for Everyone Initiative. The project mission was to improve water access and sanitation conditions across 10 villages in Foni Kansala District by rehabilitating handpumps, installing new ones where necessary, and providing hand washing stations to improve sanitation and hygiene in the communities of Baro Kunda Village, Bunyai Village, Dobong Village, Dumbuto Village, Jomo Kunda Village, Kambong Village, Kamfenda Village, Kankuntu Village, Lulu Chorr Village and Sangajor Village Thanks to the collaborative support of the villagers in all these villages, the project was completed successfully. This second phase targeted more villages than the first phase, and as a result the project provides access to clean water and sanitation to over 11,000 people.

Bunyai Village

  • Water is flowing and the community is happy. Thanks to all the donors for their support
  • Water sample collection and testing of the well prior to drinking
  • Hand washing stations is installed in the community and the community is being sensitized on how to do proper hand washing
  • Sainabiu has been suffering from the lack of clean drinking water for years. Now her family can live happily they have water
  • This family spends less time now in cooking because they have easy access to water, as they previously spending hours in water collection
  • The community is helping with the provision of sand and gravel as well as other labor related works. they felt joyful for the water project
  • Workers transporting cement blocks for works to begin on the making of the water trough as part of the project for animals drinking point
  • Dismantling the entire old hand pump water system prior to installing new parts. The cylinder and pistons all to be changed with new ones

ACTIVITIES 

The project saw the successful dewatering, re-digging of wells, installation of new German Mark 2 cylinders and conversion heads, stainless-steel pipes, rod couplings, check nuts, pedestals, axle and bearings. Concrete water troughs were built, new culverts for wells and concrete slabs. Handwashing stations were installed in all project intervention communities supplied with detergents. In partnership with The Gambia’s Department of Water Resources, quality testing and treatment was also conducted at the end of each community project. In each community, learning sessions were held on effective handwashing techniques and simple water management strategies. Communities also participated in manual works like digging, collecting sand and gravel. They also hosted workers, which assured that all materials were secured. 

Dobong Village

  • A hand washing station was also installed in the community and school going girls like Fatou here is happy
  • Finally there is water flowing nicely to the delight of the community
  • Training the women of the community how to do the handwashing mixture of bleach and other detergents
  • Water sample collection and testing of the well prior to drinking
  • Laboratory water testing results after completion of the project
  • The workers laugh off and share some moment of jokes while work is in progress
  • Work in progress as the old pipes are to be replaced with new German stainless steel pipes
  • Dismantling the old pvc rotten pipes with new German stainless steel pipes
  • Work in progress
  • The head of the village is actively taking part in the works, He is happily seen here with his granddaughter
  • The community is helping in the transportation of materials for works to begin
  • Bad water being pulled from the well as dewatering and cleaning process of the well begins
  • Serious works in progress as concrete is being poured
  • The community provide sand and gravel for works to be carried out easily
  • Dismantling the old cylinder, rod couplings, check nutes etc
  • Taking out all the old rotten bad parts before puting in new ones
  • The old rusty cylinder

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT 

  • The primary objective of this project is to provide clean drinking water and better sanitation for the people of the selected 10 villages in Foni Kansala District as for the second phase of the project. This has been successfully achieved at the completion of the project. 
  • The Foni region has long suffered from the lack of clean drinking water. The region has been hit hard with mass felling of trees and frequent bush fires. Also, the conflict between Senegalese forces and separatist rebels in the southern Senegalese region of Cassamance has made things worse for the region of Foni as it shares a long border with Cassamance. Mass movement of refugees from the recent clashes has worsened the water crisis for communities hosting the refugees. One of the objectives of the project is to ease the pressure of the lack of clean drinking water in communities, as well as provide sanitation. 
  • One of the objectives of this project is to provide clean drinking water for marginalized vulnerable communities. Foni has a lot of isolated villages that feel abandoned and forgotten. This project has made them feel heard, socially included, and a part of humanity. For villages that lie closely on the borderline, most of the times felt abandoned due to fear as they are closer to the frontline. 
  • The project also empowers women and girls. We all know the burden women and girls bear in water collection. Statistics has shown that Foni is one of the lowest female enrolment rates in school. This clean water project will empower girls participation in school. The time spent on water collection is far shorter now for school-going girls. 
  • Another important objective of this project is to inculcate the habit of hand washing in communities. At each of the rehabilitated water sources in each community, a hand washing station is provided with detergents and also a learning session on the techniques of effective hand washing. Members of the community gather in the village square for the learning sessions. This is a tool to combat the spread of germs and other communicable diseases that could spread within communities especially after using the toilets. It also aids nursing mothers as well as children to understand the importance of hygiene and sanitation. Participation in the learning sessions was high. Community engagement was immense and enthusiastic. 
  • In the Fonis, open defecation is not as big a concern as it is in the central regions of the country. Nonetheless, another key objective of these water projects is to facilitate round-the-clock household access to water. This will steer people away from going outside to defecate. The availability of water in the households is a catalyst towards the cessation of open defecation. 
  • Another objective of these projects is to encourage women’s engagement in household-level horticulture gardening. Every rehabilitated water source includes a concrete watering trough. The water trough traps waste water from the hand pump and can be used by nearby houses for small-scale household horticulture vegetable gardening. This avoids the wastage of water and allows households to grow vegetables and enables their livestock to drink. This helps provide the households with a balanced diet and thereby alleviates the extreme poverty communities’ face especially in the dry season. 
  • Another key objective of this project is to cut down the high rate of water related illnesses in the recipient communities. Children often face the brunt when it comes to waterborne diseases. Certain households are drained of all resources when a family is struck with waterborne diseases. These water projects will lessen the burden on communities and money that would otherwise be spent on doctors or medicine can be used for food or for girls’ education instead. 
  • Setting up and training village water management committees was another objective of the project. We set up and trained water management committees in all the project communities. They help in the day-to-day management and maintenance of the water source. This will help make the project sustainable. As best practice, we ensure the committee is gender-balanced and that women have a say in the maintenance and management of the water source. Traditional women communicators known as ‘’Kanyeleng’’ are also involved in the sensitization of communities for better water management. 

Dumbuto Village

  • Some village women showing their support and happiness over the project
  • This woman is showing what she has learned about proper hand washing technique
  • Water sample collection for testing at the laboratory
  • Community members fully partcipating in the entire work processs with full committment
  • Concrete works in full force
  • Concrete mixing
  • Mounting the new stainless steel pipes
  • Removing the plastic water pipes to be replaced with stainless steel ones that will be far more sustainable
  • Work commences on the making of water trough
  • Work in progress

BENEFICIARY TESTIMONIAL 

The excitement and happiness are overwhelming in all the communities. Heads of villages of the respective 10 villages all expressed their sincere thanks for the project and happiness, highlighting the positive impact that these clean water projects have in their lives., the local councilor of the district Suwaibou Gibba, heaped praises on and thanks to Water Charity. He also mentioned the social and economic importance of the water projects, as well as the tremendous importance of clean drinking water for the communities, especially in relation to the provision of education and the increased wellbeing. He also mentioned the importance and timeliness of the project given communities have experienced an influx of refugees from the Cassamance crisis. Mariama Jarju a women leader from the community of Bunyai said she used to walk miles daily in search of water from the neigboring villages but that is a thing of the past now that water is flowing nicely in the village thanks to Water Charity. Lack of water in the community has deprived us normal living she said. Thanks to these projects in our district, we can now live comfortably. Dozens of men and women expressed similar sentiments across the beneficiary communities.

Cultural elders of the communities like Famara Sanyang and Wuyeh Badgie all felt their gratitude and happiness for the projects. These water projects have a very positive impact in our lives they said. These water projects have come at a better time when they are face with lots of challenges especially the refugee crisis. Water is the foundation of humanity they said. Kebba Manka, a representative of the traditional chief Ali Nyassi, expressed his thanks for gratitude for the water projects. He urged for peace, brotherhood and tranquility now that there is ample clean drinking water flowing in the 5 communities. Let us unite and encourage peace in our settlements he said.

Thanks to the donors for making this project a success.

Jomo Kunda Village

  • It is all about total delight when clean water starts flowing
  • Grandma is happy to do hand washing and take up the habit of hand washing, also encouraged kids to do the same
  • Head of the village leading by example. He is doing the effective hand washing and also encouraging the community to do the same
  • Some donors from USA visiting the project sites to have a better understanding of the projects
  • Entering the data collected from the water quality testing after completion of works
  • Water quality testing results
  • All good ready to install the Grundfos made German Mark2 cylinder
  • Arranging materials needed for the construction works to begin
  • Villagers participating fully with their labor to see the successful completion of the project
  • Working on the water trough. This will help domestic animals also to drink

Kambong Village

  • Women and girls in the community bear the brunt of water collection, this water project is tremendous importance in their life
  • Ami is now delighted and happy now that she can concentrate on her studies instead of travelling 4KM daily in search of water for her family
  • This woman is showing what she has learned about proper hand washing technique
  • Hand washing stations is installed in the community and the community is being sensitized on how to do proper hand washing
  • Water sample collection for resting at the laboratory
  • Data collection of water quality testing after completion of projects

Kamfenda Village

  • The smiles of joy after having clean drinking water
  • This 3-month-old baby’s mother will now have ample time to breastfeed her daughter instead of spending hours searching for water
  • These children are overwhelmed now that they have clen drinking water in their community after suffering from water crisis for a long time
  • Everyone is encouraged to practice hand washing in the community. This helps to combat certain communicable diseases in the community
  • This woman is the head of the womens group in the village. She is showing the proper hand washing skills learned from the training
  • Everyone is happy when there is clean drinking water for the community
  • Water sample collection and testing of the well prior to drinking
  • Laboratory water testing results after completion of the project
  • Assembling the old parts together
  • Taking off the old parts of the hand pump and dismantling it for new parts is key component of the rehabilitation
  • Workers dismantling the hand pump as their supervisor looks on to ensure the work is done fine

Kankuntu Village

  • Children in a hurry for work to be completed and to have the first taste of the water
  • Water sample collection for testing at the laboratory
  • Removing the conversion head and the rusty materials in the tank of the hand pump.
  • The community elader looks on as works in progress highly anticipating clean drinking water for his people
  • Removing bad check nuts and rod couplings replacing them with new stainless steel ones

Lulu Chorr Village

  • The head of the village posing along with the head of the village women’s group after the completion of works. They now have clean drinking water
  • Hand washing stations is installed in the community and the community is being sensitized on how to do proper hand washing
  • Work on going while the community also helps the workers with anything they could
  • Boys look on curiously as work is in progress
  • Taking off all the parts seperately

Sangajor Village

  • A delighted mother of 4 Mrs. Oumie is happy to have clean water again in his community. My life has changed for the better she said
  • Happiness and good health thanks to this clean water project
  • Hand washing stations is installed in the community and the community is being sensitized on how to do proper hand washing
  • Disassembling the old parts of the hand pump in steps
  • We ensure that the water source is compartable to WHO standards for safe drinking water after water sample colelction and testing
  • Hard work and mighty strenghth as workers remove and install parts
  • Removing the old dead beat cylinder and other rusty parts to be replaced with new ones
  • Disassembling the old parts of the hand pump in steps

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To read about the beginning of the project, CLICK HERE.