Water Charity & Call To Nature Seedreservation & Permaculture Program – Ghana
To read about the Call To Nature Seed Preservation & Permaculture Well Project, CLICK HERE.
Call To Nature’s mission is to care for the Earth, care for people, and share valuable resources by implementing permaculture principles, through farming, heirloom seeds saving, and providing hands-on training related to the importance of the use of permaculture in sustaining the environment and by creating a culture that is inspired by natural ways to produce seeds and food that will resolve food instability. Our business is one of the best in heirloom seed production in Africa and the first of its kind in Ghana. Our business relies on unique methods designed with nature in mind, through farming and production of high-quality seeds and food that will eventually lead to the end of food insecurity in many parts of the continent of Africa, and other areas around the world.
Our project has grown from just school gardening and tree planting and from 4 acres piece of land to 17 acres.5 years ago, we began collecting and reviving heirloom seeds across the world for our newly constructed seed bank in order to help resolve the issue of food insecurity and to tell all the beautiful stories around them from the origin, name source and use. Our seed collection is not only focusing on food but also on plant species that help protect our environment, especially species that help protect water bodies and species when intercrop retains moisture content in the soil so farmers can use less water for farming. Our operations are currently facing a huge water challenge on-site, we are therefore presenting our request to Water Charity for support.
SCHOOL / COMMUNITY GARDENING
In 2015 research conducted by Call Nature in some Ghanaian communities shows that about eight (8) out of ten (10) children are facing malnutrition due to poor eating habits. And as such, Call to Nature has developed a program that promotes school/community gardening for a healthier living lifestyle. We plan to design at least ten (10) school gardens each year to connect the mindset of the people to nature and to provide better nutrition.
Plenty of studies have shown just how school gardens can stir students towards the right and more conscious decision-making.
This project has been completed. To read about the beginning of the project, CLICK HERE. To read the SUMMARY OF ROUND 2, CLICK HERE.
To read theSUMMARY OF BOREHOLE WELL HYDRAULIC DATA, CLICK HERE.
Five additional clinic and community access borehole wells were completed during this final phase, all in the Sotouboua district of the Centrale Region, for a total of (13) clinics in 2022 and (15) in 2018. As with all the prior phases, clinic sites were selected from a list provided by the regional Ministry of Health (and modified by field assessment), implemented by the same local Togolese hydraulic firm (Multi-Ingénieurs Conseil) and supported by the regional Department of Hydraulics (Ministry of Rural Water and Sanitation). Assuming all households in the vicinity utilize the potable water source at the clinic, on average 3,500 more community members will benefit from the potable water provided at the new borehole wells, in addition to several thousand more benefiting as patients, particularly pregnant and birthing women and their relatives. Each of the (13) new sites are now equipped with lab-verified potable water from deep borehole wells ranging in depth from 52 to 145 meters, gravity-fed systems providing running water into the buildings, replacement/repair of indoor plumbing as needed, functioning faucets, water lines to some of the staff housing (paid by the clinic), a faucet outside the clinic for patient relative use and in all sites but one, community faucets on the water tower. The borehole water yields range from 2,150-7,200 liters/hr (with several in Rounds 1 and 2 exceeding 10,000 l/hr) indicating there is ample groundwater to supply all of these villages well into the future. The importance of deep borehole wells cannot be overstated as the majority of water sources in Togo in general are either unfiltered surface water or shallow 3-6 meter deep hand-dug wells where water infiltrates from the surface thereby collecting all of the waste and bacterial content from the land surface or moves laterally in the shallow subsurface from polluted streams or from latrines, buried waste dumps into these household water sources. All of the Water Charity borehole data from the 2018 to the current projects, have been incorporated into the national groundwater database, allowing for the communities served through this rural water project to be supplied with ample potable water well into the future if there are funds allocated to extend the current plumbing infrastructure. Most NGO well installations are implemented without the knowledge or participation of the regional government water agencies thus resulting in poor installation, a lack of follow-up and missed opportunities for augmenting local water supply. Each clinic was provided with a site-specific operation and maintenance manual during the official opening. As with the two earlier phases and those from 2018, the after-birth systems (delineated below with an “*”) includes a simple bucket-flush (except for those clinics with pre-existing flush basin) vessel for after-birth discharge, a dedicated cement-lined septic tank, floor and birthing table drains and functioning indoor plumbing. This may be one of the most important contributions to the clinics themselves, as hygienic disposal of blood and tissue protects the staff and patients against blood-borne diseases, like Ebola. Not to mention, the privacy and hygienic conditions for both the midwife, patient, and relatives. Indoor plumbing of potable water allows the clinic staff and the patient community to benefit from microbial-free water and proper cleaning, anti-septic handwashing and cleaning of surfaces and laboratory equipment. The benefits of bacteria-free water are known the world over. Each borehole well was sampled once drilling was completed and analyzed at the regional government laboratory for microbial and inorganic constituents and the results compare to WHO standards. All (28) borehole wells completed in 2018 and 2022 meet or exceed the WHO standards. The original copies of the lab reports were given to each clinic head. Copies have been provided in all reports submitted by the program lead to Water Charity along with geologic borehole cross sections. While the world, in general, appears eager to “go solar”, the reality in Togo is there is a lack of trained technicians coupled to the very poor quality of imported solar panels. With the exception of very simple arrays designed to light a few light bulbs in the clinics, non-functioning solar panels and by extension malfunctioning solar-powered water pumps are in evidence throughout the region.
SITE NAME OF RURAL CLINIC : Sotouboua Prefecture
To see related videos to this project. Click Here.
BALANKA
Balanka is situated in the district of Tchamba near the Benin border. Its 10,700 inhabitants are predominantly Muslim of the Anii ethnic group. While a trading center, those not involved directly in commerce are subsistence farmers. The government installed a municipal water system in 2017, which was to provide the clinic with running water however the poor quality infrastructure (broken pipes, poor water pressure and quality) left the clinic and maternity building without running water. The original clinic is of the same manner as most of the project sites; two buildings were built in 1994 of banco brick with an unpotable, open-well water source. In 2017, a new modern maternity building was built by a Togolese member of the community living in France, financed by both his association and his in-laws. Completed in 2018, this modern birthing center is equipped with an ultra-sound machine and several flush toilets and showers, but lacked running water. The only water source was the open well situated between the two buildings. The clinic at Balanka was not on the Ministry of Health list as a center needing water, rather the head midwife who had benefitted from Water Charity’s borehole program in 2018, mentioned the lack of water and the need for a borehole water system, as the sole water source for both the maternity center and clinic was the open well. Given the substantial resources already allocated to build the maternity center (which sees on average 40 births per month), Water Charity added Balanka to the project list with some assistance from the donors in France. There is electric power in Balanka. The borehole yielded 3,200 liters/hr at a depth of 90 meters, sufficient for equipping the two buildings and for the needs of the neighboring households. The cement water tower is higher than at the other sites given the extensive plumbing needed in the maternity center. Given the rather complex plumbing in the maternity building (i.e. numerous toilets and showers), there will be a need for frequent maintenance and upkeep.
Completed tower
Borehole drilling: construction of 8-m water tower to supply both maternity center and Clinic
Old water source: Open, unpotable well
The clinic staff (in white coats)
Photo with the women and children who attended the opening reception
Work in progress
Head of the village
Mosque, neighboring courtyard.
The original cement-brick clinic built in 1994 used today as primary clinic for Affossala
View inside the maternity clinic
Ultrasound machine currently non-functioning
Head midwife in maternity clinic built in 2018 by a Togolese doctor living in France and his in-laws
AFFOSSALA
After the initial meeting in March, 2022 with members of the hydraulic team (in front holding notebooks), clinic staff and members of the community
Affossala, located in the Tchamba prefecture, is a large village of 10,500 inhabitants comprised of Bagué, the original inhabitants, Kabyé, Losso, Kotikoli, Moba and Peuhl (Fulani), both nomadic and sedentary. All major religions are present, including “les hommes libres” i.e. free men! According to the head nurse! Affossala is divided into (10) neighborhoods, each with their own head. Currently, the village has 4/6 functioning manual borehole wells. The clinic was built in 2005 by Plan International, a typical six-room cement-brick building with plumbing and no water source outside of the non-potable open well. Several years later the well was retrofitted with a metal water tower, a metal water tank, and a manual pump though with the same intermittent open water source. Prior to the current project, the clinic staff utilized a neighboring water source. Affossala has a municipal water project in development and was initially not slated to be included in the present project. However, after several weeks of bantering about with various village and government officials on why the village’s only health center was not prioritized for access to this “public” water system, the clinic head and the regional hydraulic director made a successful push for an independent water source. Municipal water systems in Togo are known for frequent malfunctions, sometimes for months at a time. At the time of drilling, a municipal waterline was in place in front of the clinic implying the neighborhood would receive community water. Early meetings with the community indicated there was little interest in assisting the clinic with the purchase of petrol for the generator or repairs. Given this and the presence of borehole wells nearby, the Affossala clinic was not equipped with community faucets on the water tower. Drilling down to a depth of 92 meters with a water yield of 2,150 liters/hr assures both potability and a long-lasting water source. The water system is the sole use of and responsibility of the clinic staff and patients. The pump is operated by a gas-powered generator. Affossala may be electrified in the coming year at which time the water pump can be converted to run-on electricity.
Opening day
Head of the Clinic
Midwife
Working on reinforcing the existing metal tower (over now sealed former open well)
Fulani brother and sister inside the Affossala Clinic
KAZABOUA
The seat of the Canton, Kazaboua is comprised of (8) villages. The clinic was built in 2009 by an Arab NGO with the usual open-well water source. At the time of the initial visit, there were no borehole wells in the village of 6,500 inhabitants. As with the other villages, the population if of mixed ethnicity and religion, and subsistence farming (maize, yam, peanuts, soya and sorghum) the primary occupation with household livestock. The household are both dispersed i.e. homes adjacent to fields or grouped together. During the cultivation season (May-September) the number of people accessing the clinic well increases. There are few latrines in the village and none at the clinic. The clinic, with the assistance of the village, in 2019, installed a submersible pump to install running water into the building in addition to an after-birth discharge system. The clinic was listed as having water and was omitted from the list of planned projects until a visit indicated the source of water inside the clinic was from the non-potable open source well. There is electric power in the village. The borehole pump test yielded a high volume of water (6,700 l/hr) at a depth of 60 meters, sufficient to allow for an expansion of community access points in the future.
Reinforced water tower, plumbed to submersible pump and fed by gravity from the water tank to the clinic. Pump water filter visible on tower.
Midwife
A submersible pump installed in shallow, hand-dug well. Water is intermittent and non-potable.
Pre-existing cement water tower with hand-crank pump
Adoli (contracting director) in the midground explaining the functioning and maintenance of the well
Official Opening: A toast with the village Chefs of local millet beer
Official opening. July 2022
Community faucet at a height above the bearer’s head facilitating the transport of water to the households. Michel, field technician.
Clinic staff
Clinic Head with running water replacing the blue bucket system
Initial community meeting
FAZAO
Fazao clinic with head nurse and pharmacist
Fazao, one of the most scenic villages, is situated next to a large natural reserve along the foothills of the Fazao mountains. The original settlement in this region of Sotouboua, Fazao is a Muslim community of cultivators and herders. Predominantly members of the Kotokoli and Tem ethnic groups (unusual in an area comprised mostly of Christian and animist Kabyé), the village has benefited from assistance from some of its members in Europe, part of the so-called “ Diaspora”. However, once again, the lack of oversight and poorly trained personnel resulted in failed water projects throughout the village. The clinic was built in 1992 and remodeled in 2017 with funds from the diaspora. There are (6) borehole wells in Fazao though currently, only three are working. Until very recently, there were no residential clinic staff in Fazao. As a result, the patient attendance is very low compared to other clinics however with the installment of a full-time nurse and midwife assistant, the number of patients seen at the clinic are rising. The community and its leaders are more motivated than many other project sites in addition to the community members willing to pay for water, an important element for the clinic as there is currently no electric power in Fazao thus requiring the purchase of diesel to run the pump generator. There are newly installed power poles in Fazao implying the village will be connected to the power grid sometime soon. There are no lights in the clinic as the existing solar panels are no longer functioning. Nighttime Patient care and births are illuminated with cell phones. The borehole well yielded 5,300 liters/hr at a depth of 90 meters, far above the current clinic needs, however, the water shortage in the surrounding households and in the village, in general, will be adequately met now and into the foreseeable future as the population of Fazao increases.
Non-functioning water tower, solar panels and one of several hand pumps attached to this old water project.
Nightime borehole drilling
Foundation for cement posts for water tower
Septic tank for maternity room
Laying pipe from the borehole well to the water tower
Core members of the hydraulic contractor, Multi-Ingénieurs Conseils
Goats on steps of abandoned staff housing
Tiled water distribution center with several faucets near the clinic none of which now work as borehole was either not drilled to a bedrock depth or poorly equipped.
Building the 6-meter cement water tower
Opening day
View out towards the national forest reserve
Kids in the village
View of village from the main road
MELAMBOUA
Melamboua is on the road to Fazao, one of the project sites in the district of Sotoubou. Another old clinic was built in 1990 by the NGO Plan International. A typical 6-room brick building without electricity or potable water, serving a population of 5,500 inhabitants scattered about (14) villages. The existing water source is the standard shallow open well used by the nearby households. In 2016, according to a plaque on the metal tower, the Red Cross added the water tower, a hand crank pump, and plumbing into the building however no changes in the water source, which remained non-potable. The entire apparatus ceased functioning within the year. The village is comprised predominantly of Kabyé ethnic group however there are both nomadic and sedentary Fulani. A high water yield of 7,200 liters/hr was reached at 60 meters, sufficient to supply the community with potable water for several years to come assuming the water system is well maintained. While the clinic did not have electric power at the start of the project, the regional Ministry of Health director accelerated the positioning of an electric meter and within a few weeks of the center had electricity and the water pump was hooked up accordingly.
Pharmacist in birthing room
Head of clinic in front of old water source
A neighboring Fulani household
Neighboring Fulani household
Students waiting for vaccinations
Kids watching the drilling with incinerator in background
Foni Jarrol is one of the nine districts of The West Coast Region, which is located to the south of the Gambia River in the southwest of the country. Foni Jarrol is in the far east of the region, between Foni Bondali and the border with Senegal. The district is dominated by the Jola tribe, and it is well known for its traditional cultural festival called the “Futampaf.” This is a Jola traditional initiation ceremony which dates back centuries ago. (See picture below.)
The district has attracted thousands of refugees fleeing the Southern Senegalese region of Casamance’s crisis, which saw fighting between Senegalese forces and Casamance separatist rebels. This has had posed serious economic and social challenges to 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.
After de-watering and sanitizing the well, we will replace the twin handpump rods, two conversion heads, and check-nuts; we will install a handwashing station and 4 stainless steel pipes. The contractor will construct a new trough for the village ruminants to drink from, which will help the community economically.
After re-digging the well an extra two meters, as well as de-watering and sanitizing the well, we will replace the conversion head, the cylinder, and a new concrete slab. We will install new pipes, and the contractor will construct a new water trough for the village livestock to drink from.
Jorem Bunda Kunda (GPS: N13°15.186 W015°53.048)Estimated Population:300
After de-watering and sanitizing the well, we will replace the conversion head, install a new cylinder, replace the check-nuts, and pour a new concrete slab. The contractor will construct a handwashing station and a new water trough for the village ruminants to drink from, which will help the community economically.
Kampassa Village (GPS: N13°10.074 W015°48.810) Estimated Population: 800
After de-watering and sanitizing the well, we will install a new cylinder, conversion head, check-nuts; we will pour a new concrete slab and install four stainless steel pipes, and a handwashing station to halt the transmission of COVID. The contractor will construct a new trough for the village ruminants.
Arenkoli Kunda (GPS: N13°14.122 W015°51.823) Estimated Population: 300
After de-watering and sanitizing the well, we will install a new cylinder, new stainless steel rod couplings, a new conversion head, plus a handwashing station. In addition, the contractor will construct a new concrete trough for the village ruminants to drink from, which should better the community’s economic situation.
Lower Saloum District Handpump Repair Tour Phase 2—The Gambia
The Central River Division’s Lower Saloum is one of the poorest regions in The Gambia. Most people in the villages of Lower Saloum are engaged in subsistence agriculture – there is a recognized ‘hungry season’ when little food is available, but agricultural labor is most intense. There are serious environmental and ecological vulnerabilities, especially with increasing desertification. Lower Saloum is home to Kaur, one of Lower Saloum’s market towns, once had a groundnut processing plant, with associated export trade via the River Gambia, but this ceased over a decade ago. Lower Saloum is home to mangroves, which are located at the interface of land and sea in tropical regions, and offer a considerable array of ecosystem goods and services. Mangrove ecosystems are highly effective carbon sinks, sequestering vast amounts of carbon within the soil, leaves, branches, roots, etc. This is the second phase of our Lower Saloum District Handpump Repair Tour.
Ballanghar Kerr Jibel Village (GPS Coordinates:N13ᴼ39.453 W015ᴼ24.801) Estimated population: 550
After dewatering and sanitizing the well, we will replace the twin handpump’s two cylinders, two conversion heads, and rod couplings; we will construct a concrete water trough, plus a handwashing station.
We will replace the well’s conversion head, cylinder, and rod couplings; we will install two stainless steel pipes, add extra ground concrete, as well as construct a concrete water trough and handwashing station.
We will replace the conversion head, the cylinder, and the rod couplings; we will install one stainless steel pipe, a concrete water trough, plus a handwashing station.
After dewatering and sanitizing the well, we will replace the cylinder, conversion head, centralizer, check nuts, and pedestal. We will add extra ground concrete to the base, and construct a concrete watering trough for the village ruminants and install a handwashing station.
We will re-dig, de-water and sanitize the well. We will then re-pour the concrete slab and replace the cylinder, install seven stainless steel pipes, add extra ground concrete to the base, construct a concrete water trough, plus a handwashing station.
After de-watering and sanitizing the twin handpump-equipped well, we will replace the two cylinders, two conversion heads, 2 stainless steel pipes, and check nuts; we will construct a concrete watering trough for the village livestock, as well as install a handwashing station.
Buduck Village (GPS Coordinates: N13ᴼ42.339 W015ᴼ22.018) Estimated Population: 200
After de-watering and sanitizing the well, we will replace the cylinder, the concrete slab, and five stainless steel pipes; we will add extra ground concrete to the base, construct a concrete water trough, plus a handwashing station.
We will replace the cylinder, the conversion head, and the concrete slab; we will construct a concrete water trough, plus a handwashing station.
All these projects include costs for hand washing stations in each community as part of Water Charity’s efforts in fighting COVID-19 and promoting community hygiene.
Tento Malick Bah Solar Powered Water Project—The Gambia
PROJECT INFORMATION
Location of Project: Tento Malick Bah Village, Upper Saloum District, Central River Region, The Gambia, West Africa; GPS Coordinates: N13°46.948 W015°05.687
DESCRIPTION PROJECT COMMUNITY
The small village of Tento Malick Bah, located 5 kilometers off the northern Trans-Gambia Highway via Panchang in the Central River Region, consists of Fula and Wollof tribal members. The village is composed of 18 family compounds and 29 households. Tento Malick Bah is populated by approximately 300 people whose livelihoods are primarily based on subsistence farming, growing groundnut, maize and millet. Both the Wollof and Fula tribal members live harmoniously together in the village.
DESCRIPTION OF PROBLEM
The village’s reliance on subsistence farming for income and staple foods is fraught with challenges and risks. Due to climate change, the rainy season starts later and ends earlier; soil fertility is generally poor; they have limited if any defenses against agricultural pests such as locusts, etc. The deck is definitely stacked against ensuring stable and sustainable livelihoods and food security in the village.
But the greatest threat to the community is the lack of clean drinking water. There is only one un-covered well in the village with a depth of about 28 meters down to the water table. Water is drawn from the well using a rope and pulley and a great deal of effort. This open well is the only source of drinking water for the entire community. During the dry season, the inflow of water into the well doesn’t always keep up with the amount being collected. Women and children sometimes rise before dawn to wait in lines at the well to fetch the water that has accumulated overnight. But, before long, the water level lowers and the water becomes clouded with sand and silt. This water must be allowed to settle and then sifted through a cloth to remove as much sediment as possible. Recently, a dog fell in the well and died—going unnoticed by the villagers who drank from the well. An outbreak of diarrhea hit the village, resulting in various water-borne sicknesses. The remains of the dog were later removed from the well. In spite of their best efforts, diarrhea and other ailments attributed to drinking the water are all too common. Rarely a week goes by when a family doesn’t have to take at least one family member to the medical clinic a few kilometers away for treatment. This is a drain on time and money, which contributes yet further to income and food insecurity in the village.
DETAILED PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The project will include the following:
Stage 1: Drilling of a 4.5-inch borehole at the depth of 55 meters, by a reputable drilling outfit. This deep drilling will provide an ample flow of clean fresh water all year-round. A high-quality GRUNDFOS solar submersible pump will be installed along with high-quality mono-crystalline solar panels. A fully braced 6-meter galvanized tower will be built and a 2,000-liter triple-coated water storage tank will be mounted on the tower. All works will be fully monitored for quality assurance and effective execution of work with a warranty provided.
Stage 2: This stage involves the laying of pipes from the water tower to three selected water points (taps) in the village. This will be completed by the contractor supported by the villagers. Three water points will be erected which will make water accessible and easier to reach by all villagers. The pressure pipes and plumbing materials will be of high-quality material considering the harsh environmental conditions around that area.
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION
The community will provide some of the manual labor, including the digging of trenches and pipe laying, etc. They will also provide gravel and sand as their contribution towards the project. Any other necessary manual labor will also be provided by the community. The village will also host and feed the workers.
MONITORING AND MAINTENANCE
The community has already set up a solid and trustworthy Water Management Committee that will oversee the sustainability of the project. The team is gender-balanced, consisting of three males and three females.
Further training will be conducted for the Water Management Committee on the Community Water Management Model, after the completion of the project, and also to sensitize the community on the importance of taking good care of the taps and the entire water system to maintain durability. The selected water committee members will be visiting taps regularly to check if every tap is working properly. It was strongly agreed at the same meeting that every month, each compound head will pay a token and a bank account will be opened by the village water committee, with three mandatory signatories, where the collected amount will be saved for future maintenance and repair. The committee will be transparent and audited in the financial transactions, reporting monthly to the villagers at the Bantaba (village square) to be coordinated by the Alkalo (village head). Through this mechanism, the community will maintain a sense of ownership and responsibility.
Three people have been identified to be in charge, of monitoring and controlling the solar-powered water borehole system after the completion of the project. The borehole drilling outfit has offered to train these three identified persons on the usage of the water system and how to report to them if there is any fault.
Water Charity Program Director (Ebrima Marong) will visit the community regularly to check whether the system is working accordingly and also check if the water management committee is working effectively.
Sabach Sanjal District Handpump Repair Tour Phase 2 – The Gambia
Sabach Sanjal is in Upper Baddibu, one of the six districts of the North Bank Region of The Gambia. Its main town is Farafenni. The North Bank Division is now the Kerewan Local Government Area, and the former Upper Baddibu District is now divided into an Illiasa District and a Sabach Sanjal District. The district is home to Pakala Forest Park, a protected area in The Gambia covering 1,161 ha (2,870 acres). By and large, residents of Sabach Sanjal practice subsistence farming. Their main occupations are farming, including crop cultivation, cattle rearing, and fishing. In a recent assessment report conducted by the environment unit of the Ministry of Health in 2019, The Gambia found that most communities in Sabach Sanjal district lack access to potable drinking water and are still practicing open defecation.
After re-digging, de-watering, and sanitizing the well, we will replace the cylinder, the concrete slab, and five stainless steel pipes; we will add extra ground concrete to the base, constructing a concrete water trough, plus a handwashing station.
Nyang Kunda (GPS Coordinates: N13ᴼ32.338 W015ᴼ.29.145) Estimated Population: 400
We will replace the conversion head and check-nuts; a new concrete water trough will be constructed, and a handwashing station will be installed.
Mbapa Ba (GPS Coordinates: N13ᴼ35.199 W015ᴼ28.953) Estimated population: 800
We will replace the cylinder, the rod couplings, the bearings and the axle, the concrete water trough, plus the hand washing station.
We will replace the cylinder and the conversion head; we will add extra ground concrete to the base, construct a concrete water trough for the village ruminants, plus install a handwashing station.
After re-digging, de-watering, and sanitizing the well, we will replace the twin handpumps’ two cylinders, two conversion heads, and the check nuts. We will install four stainless steel pipes, construct a concrete water trough and a handwashing station.
We will replace the handpump’s cylinder, its concrete slab, and bearings; we will construct a water trough for the village ruminants and install a handwashing station.
After de-watering and sanitizing the well, we will replace the cylinder and the conversion head. We will install two stainless steel pipes, add extra gravel plus cement to the base and the walls, construct a concrete water trough, and install a handwashing station.
We will replace the cylinder, add extra ground concrete to the base, construct a concrete water trough for livestock, plus install a handwashing station.
After de-watering and sanitizing the well, we will replace the cylinder, the bearings and the axle, add extra ground concrete, construct a concrete trough, and install a handwashing station.
After re-digging the well, replacing the cylinder and the stainless steel rod couplings, we will construct a concrete water trough, plus install a handwashing station.
NB: All these projects include a handwashing station for each community as part of Water Charity’s efforts to fight COVID-19 and promote good hygiene.
This program is made possible through the partnership of WATER CHARITY and the NATIONAL PEACE CORPS ASSOCIATION, working with THE MADAGASCAR WATER.
Village Well Program Phase I: 8 Wells For Six Villages in Madagascar
Location: Six Villages (Fokotany), East Coast of Madagascar; Region of Antsinanana; District of Mahanoro
Commune of Masomeloka: Fokotany of Masomeloka, Antaniambo, Sohihy, Ampanotoana Commune of Betsizaraina: Fokotany of Salehy Commune of Ambodiharina: Fokotany of Andrianotsara
Figure 1: Location of the program on the east coast of Madagascar
Community Description:
The project area lies along the Pangalana Channel on the east coast of Madagascar. The Pangalana is a fresh-water intracoastal waterway that serves as the primary source of drinking water as well as the location for washing, bathing, toileting, and waste disposal.
The villagers support themselves with artisanal fishing and farming. Lacking electricity, water services, sanitation facilities, health & dental services, television, radio, and most other amenities taken for granted in the 21st Century, the people live in conditions not seen in communities in the developed world in over 100 years. The incredible progress the world has seen in the last century has truly passed them by.
Most villages are accessible only by boat along the Pangalana, with a series of primitive auto ferries connecting the old road dating back to the French colonial days. Logistics is one of the major challenges of this project.
The Pangalana Channel is the only way to reach the villages.
Problem Addressed:
The Pangalana Channel is the primary source of drinking water in most villages, but is contaminated and unsafe to access, with drownings occurring with some certainty. Other sources of water, such as rivers, rice fields and open pits are contaminated and not fit for drinking even after boiling. Many sources are unreliable, either going dry during the dry season or being contaminated with sewage or sea water after large storms. Open wells eventually become contaminated after use and cannot be used for drinking without boiling or filters.
A lack of clean water, along with poor sanitation and nutrition, has resulted in widespread dysentery, stunted growth and childhood development, and higher death rates in vulnerable populations. With widespread poverty, limited government resources and a relative scarcity of NGO assistance, large gaps in the social support network exist.
Project Description:
Eight wells will be drilled in the six villages shown below:
The Project will provide clean water for large to medium-sized villages that have no reliable, year-round source of clean drinking water. The Village Well Program Phase I – Madagascar will build eight water wells in six villages along the Pangalana Channel. Hand pumps will be used to provide villagers with potable water. Existing open “bucket” wells will be chemically disinfected and cleaned.
This is an important Infrastructure project that can provide the jump-start these villages need to move into the 21st century. The addition of an accessible, community-based source of clean water has measurable effects on the community. The incidence of water-borne disease is reduced significantly, sanitation and hygiene are improved and infant mortality and the mortality of vulnerable segments of the population go down. With less time required to fulfill the basic need for clean water, people become more focused on other needs such as education, nutrition, family and improving their own quality of life.
The work will be done by The Madagascar Water Project. The Project has done similar work in the area and is responsible for building 43 producing wells in other villages along the Pangalana Channel. They use a stainless-steel well design, with imported down-hole screens and locally available hand pumps. With routine maintenance, each well will produce clean water for 10 years or more. The Project maintains a trained Team on the ground to ensure the wells keep flowing.
A Madagascar Water Project Assessment Team visited the area in December 2017. Existing water resources and sanitation facilities were evaluated, and meetings were conducted with village leaders to learn of their needs and to assess their ability to accept and manage a new well. Geological studies were conducted to determine if ground water was a viable resource.
Villages included in the Village Well Program – Phase I program were identified based on the urgency of their need for clean water, population size, geology, the community’s ability to accept responsibility for the well and their ability to manage the well to improve the sanitation, health and hygiene of the village.
Monitoring and Maintenance:
In addition to drilling the wells, the Project facilitates the organization of Well Management Committees and advises them on well management and resource utilization. The Project trains local personnel to maintain the well and provides tools and spares to perform these duties. The Project periodically inspects the pumps and wells and performs higher level maintenance and repairs, when needed, using a Team based in Andovoranto.
The Project empowers each village to manage their own resources, but it maintains a helping hand, when needed, and a watchful eye to ensure everything goes as planned.
Due to the extremely remote nature of the villages, logistics represent about one-third of the total cost. Savings due to an economy of scale or lower project costs/well will be used to build more wells. At this point, villages needing clean water in this area number in the hundreds.
Project Impact An estimated 14,925 people will benefit from the project.
Program Funding The funds to start this program have been contributed by an anonymous donor. Your contribution using the Donate button below will be used to expand the program.
This project has been finished. To read about the conclusion of the project,CLICK HERE.
to Eliminate Disease and Provide Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene
Chris Roesel, Jeff Morgan, Eric Lehan, and CCEDUC
December, 2020
This project is made possible through the partnership of WATER CHARITY and the National Peace Corps Association.
This proposal is to provide water and stop preventable diseases in a rural community of Uganda. The community we propose to help is Dula village in Kei sub-county, Yumbe District, Uganda.
Dula has 358 households (roughly 2000 people). We are raising $15,825 to provide water, sanitation, touchless handwashing stations, malaria eradication, and income generation.
Currently, the only water source for the village is an open water hole shared with animals (shown below). The nearest borehole is in the neighboring village which is 5 kms from the households to access. 54 households do not have latrines. 115 Latrines collapsed due to heavy rains (see the second picture below). Malaria is on an upswing this year. A nearby community reported a 61% malaria incidence rate in 2020.
A few pictures from Dula are attached below:
Waterhole from which the community gets drinking and cooking water A latrine in DulaAnother waterhole picture
In the proposed project, Chris Roesel, an RPCV who has an MPH from Johns Hopkins in international health, Jeff Morgan, a local Kansas plumbing company owner and board member of Plumbers without Borders, and CCEDUC, a local Ugandan NGO, with support from Eric Lehan, P.E., Civil/Sanitation Engineer and member of Engineers without Borders, will work with Dula to stop disease transmission by improving water, sanitation, hygiene, and malaria prevention and treatment infrastructure and supplies. The result will be that Dula saves thousands of dollars in medical expenses a year and hundreds of days of lost labor due to illness. The work will be a simple process.
The process will be as follows:
Require upfront community contributions to the community leadership for the activities.
Meet and consult the leadership of the District Health Office (Roesel established this relationship last year).
Convene a community meeting and plan with the community, using the Future Search Conference methodology (futuresearch.net/methodology), condensed into two days.
Initiate baseline survey of water, diarrhea, malaria, and income.
Invite bids for state-of-the-art work from local contractors.
Sign and supervise contracts.
Install at least one well and rainwater collection facilities.
Refurbish or rebuild latrines. Ensure malaria prevention (LLITNs) and treatment.
With the support of TCP Global and VSLA.net, establish a microloans group. Celebrate and conduct an initial evaluation of work.
Impact will be evaluated one year later with the support of DHO. The estimated cost of this project is $15,000, not including travel which will be paid for by team members.
Dula does not have a school nor a health post. It has a village leader and a council team. The village has a Village Savings and Loan Association. The community contribution will be labor and local materials.
LATRINE BASE PLATES, VENTILATION, SCREENS, WELL, STORAGE TANK, and ANTI-MALARIALS
Item
Amount
Cost
Explanation
Cement
0.5 bag/pp*204
$ 581.40
204 latrine base plates and cover of well
Rebar 63mm
1.33 m/pp
$1550.00
Reinforcement of above, 5×4’x150′ rolls
4″ Conduit
50′
$ 52.00
Well
204 4″ conduit pipes
10′
$2,040.00
Ventilation
2/3 sheet corrugated iron
12’x2 1/16′
$3,125.28
Roof
Screen
5’x50′
$ 113.00
Anti-malarials
$2,000.00
Sand
$ 200.00
Gravel
$ 200.00
ISSB Machine
2
$3,000.00
Drill
$ 305.00
3/4″ black iron pipe * 30′
$ 86.65
1 10,000 L tank
$ 800.00
Hand pump
$ 500.00
Skilled labor
$ 300.00
Walls for latrines
$ 971.67
Total
$158,250
Dula Baseline Survey
2/4/2021
10% systematic Household sample (36 households)
Water source for family:
River 10%
Stream 14%
Unprotected well 33%
Unprotected spring 25%
97% had their water source dry up at least once in the last month.
64% were an hour or more from their water sources.
Latrines:
75% (27) had no latrine.
25% (9) had traditional pit latrines.
None had handwashing facilities for their latrines.
Diarrhea incidence in the last 2 weeks:
66% (23) of youngest children had diarrhea
34% did not
Malaria:
94% of youngest children had malaria
Spent an average of 24,556 UGX/month on diarrhea tx=$79.56/year.
Spent an average of 29,761 UGX/month on malaria tx=$96.48/year.
Earned an average of 56,714 UGX/week/hh=$796/year.
Spent 22% of income treating diarrhea and malaria.
HH=household.
Tx= treatment.
The project’s deliverables will be the following in Dula, a village of 358 households:
1) 95% decrease in the incidence of diarrhea
2) 50% decrease in the incidence of malaria
3) 80% decrease in household expenses treating diarrhea and malaria
Nianija District Handpump Repair Tour Phase 2—The Gambia
Nianija is one of the ten districts of the Central River Division of the Gambia. Nanija is a predominantly Pulaar-speaking region of the Gambia. There are approximately 33 villages in Nianija, the capital of which is Chamen, located at the district’s western edge. In one study, in addition to land, livestock ownership, ownership of farm implements, and off-farm income were used by communities as main criteria for wealth ranking. On the basis of these criteria, four wealth categories were identified, namely, the very poor, the moderately poor, the moderately rich and the rich. In Nianija, 80% were said to be poor or very poor. The very poor do not own cattle; the moderately poor own goats and sheep while the poor have between 1 and 2 heads of cattle. Land access was reported to be determined by the ability to cultivate the land. For the poor and very poor categories, land use was restricted and/or constrained by limited farm implements for adequate production. In Nianija, farming was the most important livelihood strategy, followed by both fishing and commerce which were given equal weight. Livestock rearing was fourth in importance as a source of livelihood for the community. One of the primary limitations on land use is the availability of water.
Bati Jaha (Coordinates: -15.114, 13.754) Estimated Population: 550
We will replace the well’s cylinder, rod couplings, axle and bearings; we will construct a new concrete water trough, plus a handwashing station.
We will replace the cylinder and the chain. We will install 8 stainless steel pipes, construct a new concrete water trough, plus a handwashing station.
We will replace the well’s cylinder, rod couplings, and 2 conversion heads. We will install 6 pipes. We will construct a new concrete water trough. We will rebuild the pedestal, plus construct a handwashing station.
We will replace the bearings, the chain, the axle, and the rod couplings. We will install 8 stainless steel pipes, construct a concrete water trough and a handwashing station.
We will replace the cylinder, the conversion head, and the bearings. We will install 2 stainless steel pipes. We will construct a concrete water trough and a handwashing station.
We will replace the cylinder, the concrete slab, and the rod couplings; we will install 6 stainless steel pipes. We will construct a concrete water trough, plus a handwashing station.
First we will begin by dewatering and sanitizing the well. We will rebuild the apron and replace the cylinder, conversion head, bearings and axle. We will install 6 stainless steel pipes and construct a new concrete water trough and handwashing station.
Paleleh (Coordinates: -15.129, 13.749) Estimated Population: 250 We will replace the cylinder, the concrete slab, and the rod couplings; we will install 6 stainless steel pipes. We will construct a concrete water trough, plus a handwashing station.
Wellingara Buba Bah (Coordinates: -15.153, 13.733) Estimated population: 300 We will replace the stainless steel rod couplings, as well as the twin handpump’s 2 cylinders and 2 conversion heads. We will construct a concrete water trough, plus a handwashing station.
NB: All these projects include cost for hand washing station in each community as part of Water Charity’s efforts in fighting Covid-19
Restoration and Protection of Bofedales Project – Peru
Project Summary
The Chijnaya Foundation was created in 2005 to support community-led projects in the Peruvian altiplano, with the goal of helping indigenous communities improve their economic and cultural well-being. Currently, the Foundation and its Peruvian counterpart organization, Pro-DIA, work with 30 Quechua communities to design and implement projects focused on health, education, and economic development. Economic Development is the largest program, and it has helped communities invest over $244K in projects to improve their income-generating activities and increased family income by up to 300% in participating communities. The project for which we are seeking support, The Restoration and Protection of Bofedales, is connected to both sustainable resource management and economic development and will work with 5 alpaca herding communities to support their efforts to overcome environmental and economic challenges that threaten their traditional livelihood.
The Chijnaya Foundation’s Alpaca Program supports local efforts to improve the economic profile of alpaca herders through the production of hand-spun yarn. The program considers the many different factors that must be addressed for communities to sustainably increase their income including reducing herd mortality rates, improving breeding practices, strengthening the organizational and administrative capacities of the local organizations involved, improving yarn production, and restoring and protecting the high wetland areas, called bofedales, that make alpaca herding possible. Many projects have already been implemented in this program including the construction of mobile animal sheds to reduce herd mortality rates, training sessions on yarn production standards, and the acquisition of pure-bred alpacas to improve herd genetics. In 2022, the program will focus on the restoration and protection of bofedales. This project is a key aspect of the Alpaca Program because alpaca herding, and these communities, cannot sustainably exist without bofedales. The project will include the evaluation of the bofedales in 5 communities by a local expert who will then work with each community to design individualized plans for the recuperation and protection of those landscapes. The implementation of these plans will consist of theoretical training sessions as well as work in the field to implement the strategies laid out. The project has received partial funding through a grant from the New England Biolabs Foundation and is looking for additional funding opportunities to support project budget needs.
Background
Bofedales are a type of wetland found in the Andes of Peru and Chile at elevations above 12,500 ft above sea level. They form in flat areas, often near ponds or streams, and can be natural or man-made. Bofedales absorb the limited amount of water available in high-altitude communities from snow, glacial melt, and rain showers and slowly release this water throughout the year. They normally have peat in their soil and vegetation year-round due to the humidity of the soil. These wetlands are a fundamental part of high-altitude environments in the Andes because they help regulate water levels in nearby aquifers, provide water for both animal and human consumption, and provide grazing pasture for livestock. In recent years communities have noted that bofedales are beginning to disappear due to reduced water supplies caused by climate change and overgrazing caused by economic pressure.
Communities Involved
Andean Alpaca Herding Community
This project will take place in 5 alpaca herding communities: Coarita, Sapanccota, Alto Pucarayllu, Pucarayllu, and La Union. These communities are in the districts of Pucará and Paratía in Puno, the southern region of Peru that borders Bolivia, and are located at high altitudes of about 14,000 ft and above in the Peruvian altiplano. At the request of these communities, we facilitated the design of this project to help them attain the goals they set out.
In addition to community involvement in project design, community members will be involved in every step of project implementation. During project implementation, they will participate in training sessions, work with the project team to design a personalized plan of action based on the methods from the training sessions, and then implement the activities from the plan they create.
Materials for projects will be funded using a community rotating loan model that The Chijnaya Foundation uses to fund economic development projects. In this model, community members pay back project funding used to buy materials to their community rotating fund. Each community works with our team to manage the fund by setting interest rates and a timeline for repayment. Once the money is repaid, the community works with our team to design a new project and uses their community rotating fund to implement it.
Project Objectives
Through this project, we aim to train 80 people on methods to recuperate and protect bofedales, design and implement 5 individualized action plans, and plant 40 hectares of native grasses. The long-term goals of this project are to increase the water flow of 40 natural springs, recuperate and protect 40 hectares of bofedales, and help communities develop the knowledge and resources they need to properly manage their bofedales and overcome future threats to the landscape.
Strategies and Actions
A local expert in bofedales will be contracted to evaluate and measure baseline data for the bofedales in each community. The local expert, with the assistance of our team in Peru, will design and implement training sessions on methods for recuperating and protecting bofedales and then work with each community individually to create and implement a personalized plan to recuperate, protect, and manage their bofedales based on local knowledge and other proven strategies. Since overgrazing has had a huge negative effect on bofedales, one strategy for recuperation will be to plant native grasses in and around bofedales to improve water infiltration. Wire paddock fences will then be used to protect areas of the bofedales from overgrazing. Another strategy for recuperation will be to dig canals, berms, and swales to strategically direct water to bofedales in order to maximize water flow to natural springs and water infiltration. Baseline data will be measured at the peak of the dry season in September 2022 and training sessions and action plans will be implemented from October- November right before the beginning of the wet season. The first set of project results will be measured in the following year during September 2023.
This project will be evaluated by measuring two important factors: the area of bofedales and the flow rate of the natural springs in bofedales. The area of bofedales will be measured using satellite images or land surveys, depending on the preference and suggestion of the engineer contracted for project implementation. Flow rates can easily be measured by using a PVC tube to allow water to flow out of the spring and then measuring the time it takes to fill a certain volume with the flow from the tube. This method was used to measure the flow rate of natural springs of previous water infrastructure projects implemented by The Chijnaya Foundation.
Project Budget
Project Timetable
The Water Charity contribution to this project has been funded through the generosity of the Paul Bechtner Foundation.To read a progress report on this project, CLICK HERE. The project is now completed. Its conclusion report can be found HERE.
