Start Date: 2011-09-02

Completion Date: 2012-06-29

Technology Used:

The communities were selected through a needs assessment survey that provided indicators on the area that most required clean water provisions. This also indicated whether repair or installation was required.
If successful in gaining adequate funding, Safer Future Youth Development Programme (SFYDP) will work closely with the local communities to construct the wells and install India Mark II pumps within the Moyamba and Port Loko districts of Sierra Leone.

SFYDP will work with the community members and chiefs to initiate Water and Sanitation committees that will be charged with the responsibility to maintain and sustain the supply of safe drinking water after completion of the project.
Two members in each of the selected communities will be provided with adequate training on how to take care of the well and installed hand pumps.
The community will be provided with a well maintenance kit - including a hand-pump toolkit, information pamphlet and spare parts - in the event that the community experiences any problems. In previous projects, where only one member was trained, the sustainability could be compromised if the trained personnel moves away, for this reason two members are now trained within the committee.

Each WatSan committee will be recommended to collect Le 300 per household per week to provide a repair and maintenance fund in the case of any repair or maintenance and The committee together with stakeholders will also be encouraged to install by-laws that will protect the use of the well and maintain constant supply of safe drinking water. Communication will be maintained by SFYDP field staff to ensure that the completed project benefits its beneficiaries accordingly.

India Mark II pumps are widely used in Sierra Leone and as a result spare parts are available within the local markets. Hand dug wells are constructed using manual technology. They are dug by local tradesmen, and sealed to prevent contamination. The technology is particularly appropriate as of now until the government introduces the standardize technology in the supply of safe drinking water; India Mark II pumps are currently the most popular pumps used in rural Sierra Leone. In the future, the government aims to provide support to institutions offering pump maintenance, operation and repair to ensure that communities will be able to handle the repairs and maintenance of their own hand pumps.

SFYDP Water and Sanitation Department comprises of trained and motivated staff who have carried out a number of successful projects. SFYDP has partnered with a number of organizations such as UNICEF, EAWAG and Blue Planet Run, Peer Water Exchange to implement water-related projects and community lead total sanitation (CLTS), solar water disinfection (SODIS) and rainwater harvesting.

In 2004 two members of the Water and Sanitation staff members were trained at the Barefoot College in India on the construction and maintenance of rainwater harvesting tanks. The staffs have also received training from UNICEF on the implementation of CLTS programs. Lifewater International also trained our staff on well repairs, maintenance and sanitation and hygiene principles. With the acquired skills and the number of implemented projects supported by other International projects in the area of WASH, SFYDP has gained wealth of experience in the implementation of such project and working with rural communities.

Phases:

Following final approval from stakeholders, the project funds will be spent in a single phase.

Community Organization:

In Sierra Leone, all villages are managed by the village head(s) which can be the village chief, appointed head-man or section chief. Schools are managed by a school management committee/Community Teachers’ Association which comprises of the village head(s), community members, teachers and parents.

Prior to construction, consultations are held with the village chief, village elders and other stakeholders to confirm that the community or school have a demand for the well, are willing to provide maintenance, and are able and willing to afford a user fee which will be contributed to a fund for maintenance of the well, pump apparatus and periodic chlorination.
The formed committee will be charged with the responsibility to also select the two people that are to be trained in taking care of the well.
During construction, community members are expected to monitor the construction of the wells and also feel part of the project to ensure community ownership.

Quite apart from the provision of an improved well, the Water and sanitation team of the project will sensitize community members on basic hygiene and sanitation practices.

SFYDP will do follow ups after the handing over ceremony of the completed well to see the impact of the provided well in each of the communities.

On a visits, the flowing indicators will be observed to see that they are in good working order or are performing their required tasks.

• The physical condition of the well and pump
• The Community WatSan committee
• The health, economic and social effects of the well and hygiene programme

Government Interaction:

In 2008 the Ministry of Energy and Power of the Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone released the country’s national Water and Sanitation Policy. This policy aims to increase rural coverage of water supply services from 32% in 2008 to 66% in 2015. The policy also states: to encourage the fair representation of women in the water supply sector; the use of appropriate technology for communities; and to ensure that communities are able to afford operation and maintenance costs of the supply.

This project aims to complement the national effort to provide safe and sufficient drinking-water in the rural communities. In planning the project there has been consultation with the Ministry for Energy and Power as well as the Ministry of Health and Sanitation. SFYDP attend the Government’s monthly WatSan meetings which are used as an opportunity to keep the Government agencies and NGOs updated on projects and share best-practice.

Ancillary activities:

The project aims to encourage gender equality in the formation of the WatSan committee, and also sets indicators in monitoring and evaluation which will monitor whether there are certain age groups or genders who are tasked with collecting water in the household.

Other Issues:

In many areas the establishment of good hygiene and sanitation practices is difficult due to lack of education and understanding of the importance of safe water collection, transport and storage. It is often believed that illness is caused by witchcraft and not by bad sanitary or hygiene practices. In educating the people to implement safe water collection, transport and storage, the level of water and sanitation related diseases are hoped to decrease with better practices which will come as a result of a better understanding.