RWANDAKivumu Community

Latitude: 02 21.631 S, Longitude: 029 45.195 E

JULIE RHEA ANDFRIENDS

Kivumu, South, Nyaza, Rwanda

1 • Living Water International

WATERCommunity Details This site was scouted under the collaboration of Anglican pastors of Butare Diocese, Living Water International staff and local leaders of this community. The site was considered because of the church and school needs for water. The challenges of collecting water in the 287-family community of Kivumu were many, as the Living Water field staff explained: “Many people had to fetch water from the protected spring and others from dug wells that were very dangerous for their children.” After scouting the site, members from the community showed up and gave their participation by clearing the road and carrying stones so the team could prepare the drill site. This helped the drilling team, and on the fourth attempt, they successfully secured safe drinking water. After the well was secured, the community members shared with the team how happy they were to have a well in their village! The new well will also serve the community by furthering the work of other non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Care International and Compassion International, which are working to support family planning and education in the area. Not only will this well provide easy access to safe drinking water, but it will also help stop waterborne illness from entering the community. Typhoid, dysentery, cholera and respiratory infections had become a regular occurrence in the community due to the dirty water the people were drinking and because of their lack of good hygiene and sanitation practices. Life-altering lessons on hygiene and sanitation were introduced to 43 people in the community, and it is hoped that with continued support from community health workers—through continued support of good hygiene practices, overall community health with improve.

Excited to know safe water, but labored with the thought of losing access to the precious liquid, the people assembled a five-person water committee to help keep safe water in their community for many years to come! To take care of their new well, the community and church leaders will take care of the daily well maintenance and help properly manage the water resources. Although it is through safe drinking water that Living Water is able to enter thirsty communities with the gospel message of Jesus Christ, it is equally because of the generous giving of donors half a world away that Living Water was able to respond to the needs of Kivumu and provide them with safe water!

Project Details Product New

Location of water point Kivumu, South, Nyaza, Rwanda

Type of Institution Served Church

GPS Coordinates Latitude:02 21.631 S Longitude: 029 45.195 E

Construction

Altitude 1732 m

Total depth drilled 46 m

Static level 14 m

Total depth of casing 46 m

External Diameter of casing 100 mm

Casing material PVC

Screen Start: 33 m Stop: 45 m

Kivumu, South, Nyaza, Rwanda

2 • Living Water International

Pump Type Afridev

Depth of cylinder 40 m

Gravel Pack Yes

Gravel Pack Depth 30 m

Well yield 15 Liters/minute

Sanitary seal depth from surface 3 m

Shock Chlorination Yes

Well Platform

Platform is concrete with reinforcing steel Yes

Dimension of Platform (H*W*L) 2*2*6

Drainage Channel or soak pit installed Yes

Water Quality Results

Water Purity Test LWI Test Kit

Total Dissolved Solids

(as per T.D.S meter) : 124

pH: 7

Total Hardness: 0 Ppm

Nitrate/Nitrites: 0 Ppm

Bacteria Test Coliform Bacteria NOT detected (Colorless or Light Yellow color)

FOR LIFE

Hygiene Promotion To allow the community an opportunity to fully know safe water, the Living Water team used the LWI Traditional Method, which is a participatory method to help community members discover ways to improve their hygiene and sanitation choices and implement community-driven solutions. The team shared the following lessons with 43 beneficiaries: disease transmission, healthy and unhealthy communities, hand washing-proper techniques and water-saving methods, latrine perception, good-bad hygiene behaviors, disease transmission stories and keeping the water clean.

Encouraged to use their safe water to better their health, the people constructed a tippy tap for communal use and a pit latrine that will also be shared by the entire community. The newly established five-person water committee will continue to support not only well maintenance and water management, but will also support the adoption of good hygiene and sanitation behaviors. The water committee will work with the local church to hold community meetings to address hygiene and sanitation.

Kivumu, South, Nyaza, Rwanda

3 • Living Water International

Community Member Interview “This is a great achievement in this community,” shared 37-year-old community member and beneficiary, Ndayisenga. “We had no safe water source before and we were struggling to get drinking water. To get water, we either had to fetch water from an old spring or from down in the valley. We are thankful to God for your support and we will take care of this water well.”

IN JESUS’ NAME

Christian Witness

Because it is fruitless to save the body, but neglect the soul, the Living Water team not only secured safe water and showed the people how to keep their water safe, but also shared the “living water” of Jesus Christ with 200 people (67 men, 73 women and 60 children). The Living Water team did not just share the gospel after safe water was secured, but also shared the gospel at the three dry well sites. Through the pursuit of good works, the Living Water team showed the people God’s love for them. The team used the JESUS film and oral Bible stories to help beneficiaries truly understand the Good News of Jesus Christ and what a life commitment to Christ means. In all, there were 30 people who dedicated their lives to Jesus and 40 people renewed their faith in God! The church will continue to support the gospel proclamation in Kivumu and will work with the water committee to help maintain the community’s well. The church will also mobilize the community for evangelism and Living Water will continue to share the JESUS film in the area to help lead more people to make decisions for Christ.

PHOTOS

Drilling commences in Kivumu!

Kivumu, South, Nyaza, Rwanda

4 • Living Water International

A beneficiary collects spring water from their previous water source.

A close-up picture of the plaque that was secured to the Afridev hand pump and that represents international, Christ-like love that was given an ocean away.

Kivumu, South, Nyaza, Rwanda

5 • Living Water International

Men, women and children gather to test out the new hand pump!

This is the local well caretaker who will help guide the water committee in well maintenance and water management.

Kivumu, South, Nyaza, Rwanda

6 • Living Water International

“This is a great achievement in this community,” shared 37-year-old community member and beneficiary, Ndayisenga. “We had no safe water source before and we were struggling to get drinking water. To get water, we either had to fetch water from an old spring or from down in the valley. We are thankful to God for your support and we will take care of this water well.”

The people excitedly gather at the well to be the first to collect safe water!