Chiguru Village, Murewa, Zimbabwe
The 2,000 residents of Chiguru Village were caught in a cycle of illness and scarcity due to an oppressive water crisis. The residents had once relied upon a hand pump in their community. However, over time, the hand pump broke down and became unusable. This left the residents dependent on the 10 handdug wells in their community. Although this may have seemed like plenty of water to an outside observer, the truth was that the hand-dug wells were dangerous to drink from.
Most of the wells were open to the surface, which left them rife with contamination. Even the wells that had covers were contaminated because residents had to lower containers into the well in order to access the water. This continually introduced contamination into the well. As a result, community members who consumed the water often suffered from waterborne illnesses as a result. Among these illnesses, diarrhea was the most common and the most devastating to the residents’ health.
Residents who were sick could not attend work, making it difficult for them to provide for their families. Children were not able to attend school when they were sick and frequent absenteeism increased their chances of dropping out altogether. Seeking medical attention for these diseases resulted in expensive medical bills that residents could not afford. The community members longed to change the situation, but did not have the resources necessary to do so on their own. They began to look outward for help.
Leaders in the community heard about the work that we were doing in their region and reached out for help. Our team traveled to Chiguru Village to assess the situation and found that the residents were in dire need of safe water. They determined that the residents were ready to act as good stewards of a rehabilitated well.
The team drilled deep into the earth to access an aquifer of safe water and then flushed the borehole to remove any remaining sedimentary debris. They installed a PVC pipe and gravel pack before treating the well with shock chlorination. The water was tested to ensure its safety and proved to be safe for drinking. The staff installed a hand pump and laid concrete bases for the well, completing the project. The community members were overjoyed to have safe water because of your generosity!
The community members were eager to learn how they could use your gift to improve their health and attended a sanitation and hygiene promotion activity. A total of 58 people attended the event, which consisted of a series of interactive lessons. The residents learned that frequent and thorough handwashing is imperative for good health. Proper handwashing methods were demonstrated and the participants then honed the skill during a practice session.
The residents were shown how to care for the well and how to store the water safely once it has left the pump. They also learned about the important role that proper sanitation plays in their overall health. The community members finished the training eager to use what they learned to take control of their health.
COMMUNITY DETAILS
| Exact Coordinates: | Latitude: 6.0194511 Longitude: -0.310053 |
| Previous Water: | Hand Pump |
| Total Users: | 422 |
CONSTRUCTION DETAILS
| Pump Type: | Hand Pump |
| Depth of Well: | 52 m |
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
“Safe water was a scarce resource in the area, and there were outbreaks of diarrheal diseases due to lack of safe water. It cost me money to seek medical attention from the private sector when one of my kid suffered from severe diarrhea after consuming unsafe water. Now that our borehole has been rehabilitated, this will improve our community health and also lessen the burden of traveling long distances searching for water.” – Simbarashe Chiguri, 35-year-old farmer
Our partnership with Hart Elementary helped contribute the financial support needed to build the well and educate the community on water hygiene best practices. Thank you for your support!
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