CONCLUSION OF FONI BREFET DISTRICT REHAB TOUR PHASE 1 – The Gambia

CONCLUSION OF FONI BREFET DISTRICT REHAB TOUR PHASE 1 - The Gambia

Happy smiles on women as clean water flows meaning an end to diarrhoea and other waterborne diseases affecting their children for far too long

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 9 villages by rehabilitating handpumps, installing new ones where necessary, and providing hand washing stations to improve sanitation and hygiene in the communities of Bajana Village, Brefet Village, Bullock Village, Jagil Village, Jalokoto Village, Ndemban Japihuim Village, Ndemban Jola Village, Somita Village and Sutusinjang Village. Thanks to the collaborative support of the villagers in all these villages, the project was completed successfully. This project provides access to clean water and sanitation to over 10,000 people.

PROJECT ACTIVITIES

The project saw the successful dewatering, re-digging of wells, and installation of new German Mark 2 cylinders and conversion heads, stainless-steel pipes, rod couplings, check nuts, pedestals, axles 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 were 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.

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 9 villages in the Foni Brefet District. 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 the mass felling of trees and frequent bushfires. 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.

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 wastewater 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.

Hand washing stations is installed in the community and the community is being sensitized on how to do proper hand washing

BENEFICIARY TESTIMONIAL

The excitement and happiness is overwhelming in all the communities. Heads of villages of the respective 9 villages all expressed their sincere thanks for the project and happiness, highlighting the positive impact that these clean water projects have in their lives. Burama Saidy, the local councilor of the district, 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 well-being. He also mentioned the importance and timeliness of the project given communities have experienced an influx of refugees from the Cassamance crisis.

Mrs. Jainaba Ceesay, the head of the cultural women group called the “Kanyeleng’’ in Somita Ward also gave her thanks for the district water projects, saying this will give girls more time for their educations as the hours spent on searching for water would be utilized at school and study. Other community leaders of the beneficiary villages expressed their thanks and gratitude for the clean water projects. They emphasized the importance of these water projects, saying it will promote greater understanding and goodwill among the various tribes within the community. The traditional Chief ruler of the district Junkung Camara says the power of clean drinking water unifies tribes and clans. This project will solidify brotherliness and more understanding among ourselves, he said. He also urged village water committee members to wholeheartedly strive to take good care of the water sources. I used to wake up as early as 4 AM, says Musukebba Jarju, a resident of Jalokoto Village. “Now I can have a peace of mind because this project has provided easily accessed to clean water for me and my family. I am the happiest woman on earth’’, she said…

Thanks to the donors for making this project a success.

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BAJANA ViLLAGE

The villagers seem to be in a hurry for clean drinking water even though the workers are not fully completely ready with works
Old and rusty conversion head of the handpump. The community has been without a working water source for long
Old and rusty handpump water tank
Dismantling the handpump getting the old pieces out
The water trough

BREFET VILLAGE

These students are making best use of the hand washing station after using the toilet. Hand washing culture is inculcated in the community
Work in progress
Water is life
Water is flowing finally after long time they have been without clean drinking water
This is the old rusty cylinder
Power and sweat with hard labor by our able contractors. They are truly dedicated in their works
Gearing up ready for work
Putting on the brand new Grundfos stainless steel high quality cylinder for German Mark 2 handpumps. Quality is assured

BULLOCK VILLAGE

All smiles and joy when water is available. Life becomes meaningful with clean drinking water
All the kids want to have a go with the handpump. The excitement of having clean drinking water is huge
Grandma sits patiently waiting for the good news that clean drinking water is available now for the community
While others are in the farms, members of the community came out to help the workrs
Pull up time
Putting on the brand new Grundfos stainless steel high quality cylinder for German Mark 2 handpumps. Quality is assured
Removing the old rusty pipes replacing them with stainless steel pipes for durability

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JAGIL VILLAGE

Little Olimatou is excited about the hand washing station
All smiles and happiness with water
All hands on deck to remove the old handpump and replace it with new one
Opening the well for dewatering and sanitizing the well prior to installing new parts
Taking away the rusty pipes
Old parts being removed and replaced

JALOKOTO VILLAGE

These two school going girls can now concentrate on their education because they now have easy access to clean water
Hand washing stations is installed in the community and the community is being sensitized on how to do proper hand washing
Elders of the community share their joy for the clean water project
Fatou is a mother of 4 and she suffers a lot in water crisis. Now she is relieved with this clean drinking water project
Foday is happy to do clean hand washing with the new hand washing station. The culture of hand washing is inclucated in the community
This woman and her kids are glad to have water. She used to travel about 4 miles daily to nearby villages searching water for her family
Kawsu used to travel 6 miles daily with his donkey cart searching for water but now he have access to water easily in the village
It is a deep well
Hand washing stations is installed in the community and the community is being sensitized on how to do proper hand washing
Removing the old parts of the handpump

NDEMBAN JAPIHUIM VILLAGE

At times people become dumbfounded when they see clean drinking water is flowing again in their community
We train communities to practice the habit of hand washing by installing hand washing stations and providing detergents
Works on going for the perimeter fencing and water trough while the new hand pump has been installed
Work in progress. removing the old rods from the old pipes
Dismantling the handpump gradually and opening the well for dewatering and sanitizing the well

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NDEMBAN JOLA VILLAGE

Women demonstrating clean hand washing skills
The community now have access to clean drinking water. Here is the head of the village with other members of the village
Hand washing stations is installed in the community and the community is being sensitized on how to do proper hand washing
The water trough helps to avoid wastage of water and it also helps household animals to have a drinking point which helps fight hunger
Installing new handpumps for the community
Ready to pull down the first culverts down the well
Lowering down the culverts in the well
Inspecting the stainless steel pipes and rods before installations process starts
Opening the well as the re-digging of the well is about to start
Dewatering in progress
Arranging the culverts ready to be dropped down the well as the digging proceeds

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SOMITA VILLAGE

The contractor and his team gearing up for works
That serious looks
Taking the pieces apart as works begin
Replacing the old and rusty water tank of the handpump
Removing the old rods and cylinder and replacing them with new ones
Installing new German Mark 2 handpump conversion heads
Ansu, one of the workers is assuring the community they will now have clean drinking water when the project is completed
Our mother is now fetching water for us to drink and be healthy says these two children as they watch their mother fetching water
Oh i also tasted the water and its very nice. Voice of the kids after the completion of the project. the excitement is overwhelming
Awa can now concentrate on her learning at school instead of worrying about where the next cup of water will come from
Our mother is now fetching water for us to drink and be healthy says these two children as they watch their mother fetching water
Water is back in the community to the delight of this boy