This project has been completed under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Mallory Pohlman. To read about the beginning of the project, CLICK HERE.
The project was to repair a well at Kerr Werko (Sotokoi) to provide safe drinking water.
Mallory reports:
I am proud to announce that the Kerr Werko water pump is functioning beautifully, and it is in full use. The community is elated to have such an easily accessible water source. Now the people of Kerr Werko, 350 in number, the majority of which are children, have safe drinking water.
After Appropriate Projects had provided funding, I met again with the village chief, the Kerr Werko Water Committee, and the Village Development Committee on the 14th of September. We discussed a suitable timeline for the project, agreed on which mason was best for the job, and reiterated what work was expected from the community of Kerr Werko.
The needed well work commenced on September 19th, and continued until September 26th. This included clearing the well, repairing the well, and felling the nearby tree. Because a tap root from said tree had broken through several sections of the well’s retaining wall, the mason’s assistant descended into the well to clear in of all debris. Over the next several days, the bottom of the well was cleared of debris and extended slightly.
The final steps of the well repair were for the mason and his assistant to mend the wall and slab of the well with cement, metal rods, and binding wire. Finally, the community cut down the nearby tree to prevent further damage to the well.
All in all, there were no problems with the preparation or construction of the water pump, and the project has been a success. The community now has access to clean drinking water within their village, and they seem to love it. At the conclusion of the project, there was an overwhelming exclamation of, “Ndox bi dafa neex!” (The water is sweet!).
Thank you for all that you do.
We wish to thank Mallory for completing this project, and again extend our gratitude to The Soneva SLOW LIFE Trust for providing the funding.