Location
Ker Jain, Jokadou District, North Bank Region, The Gambia
Community Description
Ker Jain is a small community of 77 family compounds totaling around 1,250 people, in the Jokadou district of the North Bank Region, The Gambia. The village is a multi-ethnic community consisting of Sereers, Fulas, and Wolofs.
Situated 10 kilometers north of the main highway system, and on the edge of the Senegalese border, this highly rural village is incredibly reliant on the wells and pumps that currently supply the peoples with water.
The primary source of income for the community is the farming of groundnuts, coos, maize and a small amount of animal rearing and breeding. However, there are also businessmen and women working within the village as bitik owners, tailors, bakers, restaurateurs, gardeners and vendors within the weekly market. All of these people, including the hundreds of traders and customers who descend upon the weekly market, and their livestock, rely on 3 existing hand-pump wells that are in dire need of repair, and one thoroughly un-hygienic open well.
As it stands now only one of the hand-pumps is in consistent working order while the other two are constantly being repaired to the best of the financial ability of the community. As a result of the lack of properly working hand pumps the women are quite often forced to spend full days in the sun waiting for their chance to use the pump, to pull water from the open well, or go to the neighboring village of Ker Njugarey. The first option demands a great amount of time and manual labor to hand pull the water from the 35-meter deep water table. The second option produces water that may be unsafe. The third option requires water to be hauled over great distances, and puts a strain on the pumps of the neighboring village.
Project Description
This project is to repair one of the hand-pump wells in Ker Jain, and to repair additional pumps as funds allow.
The project is being implemented under the direction of Mr. Alieu Ndure, as head of the Ker Jain Village Development Committee.
The first well to be serviced is located on the western edge of town surrounded by 7 family compounds with about 65-70 people living within them. The catchments area for this particular pump is about 15 compounds totaling around 150-175 people.
The work on this pump will just be a general overhaul of the parts, essentially revamping the whole system. The parts to be replaced include the chain, end cap, end tube, bearings, pump arm, pump cylinder, hardware, and rod guides. This constitutes almost all pieces other than the main sleeve.
Water Charity funds will be used to purchase the bulk of the parts.
The pump arm will be replaced by the village. This is an expensive piece (around 4,000 Dalasi brand new) and it is a big sign of commitment. They had to work very hard to scrape these funds together.
In addition, the village will provide necessary labor. The VDC chairman, who is related to the pump man who did the work on the Medina Njama pump, has asked the repairman to do the work free of charge.
There are steps being taken to accumulate money for the next repair. The village has a milling machine, which they charge people to use. The proceeds will be divided in half so that there are two accounts, one for the maintenance and upkeep of the milling machine and the second for the future maintenance and upkeep for the pump.
Project Impact
About 175 people within the catchment area will directly benefit from the project. In addition, 1,250 people, constituting the weekly influx for the market, will also benefit.
Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Wells Brown
Comments
The repair and maintenance of the current hand-pumps will greatly improve the village’s access to clean water. The village understands the need for sustainability, and has undertaken measures to ensure that there will be resources to maintain the pumps in the village in the future.
Wells previously successfully completed the Medina Njama Pump Repair Project – The Gambia.
Dollar Amount of Project
$555.00
Donations Collected to Date
$555.00
Dollar Amount Needed
$0.00 – This project has been fully funded, through the generosity of The Soneva SLOW LIFE Trust as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.
We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Peace Corps Volunteer Wells Brown of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by Wells and/or those other PCVs in the country of service.
This project has been finished. To read about the conclusion of the project, CLICK HERE.