Sembehun Community Health Center, Sierra Leone
The Sembehun Community Health Center serves as a vital healthcare provider for the local community. With the clinic staff, Sembehun primary school, and 257 residents all depending on the health center’s shallow hand-dug well for water, the community faced challenges when the well deteriorated. Residents resorted to using buckets and ropes to draw water, but dwindling levels during the scorching summer months forced them to seek water from alternative, often contaminated sources like the nearby stream.
Aware of the health risks, the clinic staff and residents reluctantly consumed the unsafe water, leading to prevalent waterborne illnesses. The financial burden of treatment coupled with the loss of work due to illness further destabilized the community’s economy.
Allieu Sherrif, a dedicated healthcare worker at the Sembehun Community Health Center, witnessed the detrimental effects of the water crisis on his neighbors’ health, leaving him and his colleagues disheartened.
Upon learning about our intervention, the clinic staff found hope in resolving the water crisis. Our team promptly responded by rehabilitating the existing well, offering a sustainable solution for safe water access. Additionally, we assisted the community in establishing a water committee to oversee the well’s maintenance, ensuring long-term water security.
Through engaging sanitation and hygiene activities, the community learned to maximize the benefits of safe water for improved health. From proper handwashing techniques to oral hygiene practices, residents were equipped with essential knowledge to safeguard their well-being.
Allieu expressed gratitude for the restored borehole at the clinic, recognizing the transformative impact of safe water access. With the community no longer facing water scarcity or health risks, they can now focus on recovery and progress, fostering a healthier and more optimistic future for all.
COMMUNITY DETAILS
| Exact Coordinates: | Latitude: 7.93912 Longitude: -12.537689 |
| Previous Water: | Hand Pump |
| Total Users: | 257 |
CONSTRUCTION DETAILS
| Pump Type: | Hand Pump |
| Depth of Well: | 18 m |
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
“There was no water for drinking. Children missed classes. Two years ago, a six-year-old child nearly drowned in the stream but was saved by a passerby. We have recorded cases of frequent stooling, and we nearly lost a seven year- old boy to severe diarrhea but he was rushed to Moyamba for medication. ”
Allieu Sherrif, Healthcare worker at the Sembehun Community Health Center
Our partnership with Landcare Logic 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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