At Village Water we believe it is vitally important to do more than just provide people with a well. This is important for several reasons. A donation of a well can produce dependence, so that when things go wrong no one seeks to put things right as they do not feel responsible. Also providing a well is just one part of the equation: poor hygiene and sanitation can lead to the water supply becoming contaminated with faeces and parasites. For these reasons we insist that:

• Each community  sets up a village water committee. We show them how to write a simple written constitution.

• The water committee treasurer collects small monthly donations from each working adult. This money gradually builds up so that they have the money to fund spare parts such as replacement rubber seals when that becomes necessary. The committee keep detailed records.

• The village select two villagers, one man, one woman, who we train as pump minders. The pump minders are able to carry our regular maintenance and make repairs too. A group of 4 villages will have access to a Village Water tool kit, so they will always have the tools to make any necessary repairs. This means that the pump has a long and active life serving the village with clean, safe water.

• The villagers embark on a sanitation programme where they dig their own pit latrines, one per family. Usually villagers who are unable to do this themselves because of illness or old age will receive help from other villagers. If necessary, the community workers will talk to the village as a whole about the need to help people who cannot build latrines themselves.

• Digging the well is skilled work, so is done by special well diggers employed by Village Water Zambia, but the villagers do a lot of the manual work connected with the well digging under the direction of the trained team.  For example, they work  the windlass to raise the spoil, then move and spread it. The villagers themselves collect sand and gravel to mix with the cement which we provide.  They use this to make cement rings to line the well. the villagers also build a fence and cover structure to keep animals away from the pump.

• The villagers install a hand washing facility at the exit of each latrine. Wherever possible the community workers encourage the villagers to use soap as this has been proven to clean the hands of faeces most effectively.

• The villagers engage in hygiene education classes with Village Water Zambia community workers, who teach them about the importance of kitchen and food cleanliness. They are told about the importance of building plate and utensil racks so that dogs and other animals cannot reach them. They are shown how to build these racks from local material found nearby. They  also learn how to build racks for the pestle and mortars used for grinding grain. Prior to the community workers talking to the villagers these are often left on the floor where dogs and other animals can lick any remaining grain powder. This can transfer parasites and diseases to the villagers. they are also encouraged to build a rubbish pit and cover refuse in it. This reduces flies and other insects and again reduces the incidence of disease.

Read the speech made by the head of Nalituya about the difference this process has made to his village.