Project Launch: 2-26-19

There is no accessible clean water source for residents of Kapenda Village. The consumption of local, dirty water leads to illness and, in some cases, death, particularly among children under the age of 5. Residents currently fetch water for drinking and cooking from shallow wells or waterways, or travel long distances to access water from another village. Women, in particular, are vulnerable in the absence of clean, nearby water sources, as they often are the ones collecting the water. Women fetching water from sometimes distant, unsanitary sources have experienced domestic abuse for taking too long, rape, and death from drowning in flooded rivers during the rainy season.

This project will dig a new borehole in Kapenda Village that will be publicly accessible. The installation will take three days to complete. Before drilling, a hydro-geographical assessment using electrical measurements will be conducted to find the depth of the underlying aquifer. Above ground, the borehole will include a standard metal pump mechanism, a cement foundation to protect the pump mechanism, a cement spillway to direct water into a nearby vegetable garden, and a washing station.

Final Report: 3-31-20

Using $5,805 in World Connect grant funds, the community and Village X drilled and installed a borehole that continues to impact 1,070 community members from 309 households. The project has increased access to clean and safe water which has improved the health status of community members. Particularly, access to hygienic water has reduced the number of registered cases of waterborne diseases per month in the community.

In 2019, there were 13 cholera cases, 112 diarrhea cases and 44 dysentery cases registered between January and April. In 2020, there were 0 cholera cases, 10 diarrhea cases and 10 dysentery cases within the same period. showing a significant decrease. Additionally, the distance travelled by community members to access clean water has dropped from up to 2 km to less than 300 meters. This saves time, particularly for women, to partake in other household and income generating activities. 

Interestingly, the borehole has a drainage system that channels wastewater for irrigation to vegetable beds that have been erected by the community members and are managed by the borehole committee. The vegetables are sold and consumed by the community to raise funds for borehole maintenance and improve household nutrition. Plans are currently underway to expand the garden as most community members are in need of the vegetables.