Let the River Flow: Signs of Progress in Water Work

            Clean water is one of the most persistent problems in the developing world today. More than a billion people on our planet have absolutely no access to any clean water. Having clean water is another crucial step towards development for many third world countries. Every 15 seconds, a child dies from water-related illness, and this is the leading cause of death for children under 5. Fortunately, over the past five years, Khadarlis for Sierra Leone has worked hard to provide access to clean water for the villages it services.

            In 2008, on the organization’s second trip to Sierra Leone, we built our first water well in Jimmi. The establishment of a well gives access to clean, safe water, which directly impacts the health of the community. When children live longer, they are able to attend school longer, and grow up safely to become productive members of their communities. On top of that, a reduced mortality rate, especially among children, helps to create more stable family structures, providing a good foundation for further reform.

            On Khadarlis 4^th trip to Sierra Leone, in 2009, we conducted tests and evaluations to check the quality of the supply system in Jimmi (as well as the quality of the water). This confirmed the effectiveness of the system design in Jimmi, and allowed Khadarlis to install their 2^nd water well – this time in Senehun.

            These are the only 2 water wells Khadarlis has been able to build to date. During the trip in 2011, we were able to perform some maintenance on the water supply systems to help ensure the quality of the water it was producing. The next steps in water work for Khadarlis really revolve around money. Currently we are attempting to find donors and apply for grants to raise the $5,000 we need to establish a third well in Sierra Leone. If you are interested in helping another community take a huge step towards becoming a safe place to live, you can find donation information at http://khadarlis.org/. Khadarlis has made huge progress towards making clean water a reality for all people in Sierra Leone, and they will continue to do so as we head into the second half of 2012.

Marisa N.

Volunteer Blogger | Khadarlis for Sierra Leone

Join Us, Let’s Walk Together…

As they say all great journeys begin with a single step, and this past summer when Khadarlis returned to Sierra Leone they took more than a single step towards their goals, they took many steps. Thanks to the dedicated hard work of its supporters and volunteers Khadarlis was able to get closer to its vision of self-sustainability for every village in Sierra Leone.

Khadarlis for Sierra Leone was successful in bringing clean water to communities, building houses, supporting agriculture projects, handing out school supplies, installing solar energy, distributing the contents of a 40 ft. container and making sure every person in the village had a pair of shoes to call their own!

Here’s a brief summary of the work Khadarlis did on their recent trip to Sierra Leone:

·         Built a water well that will service over 400 villagers with clean safe water

·         Built 5 mud/cement houses that will provide shelter for 17 families (thanks to volunteers from Bryant University)

·         Partnered with Sierra Leone Department of Agriculture to participate in the ABC program which involves educating farmers & supplying them with tools and seeds

·         Farmers organizations set up in all four villages

o   Palm oil plantation started with 40 acres – 10 acres in each village

o   Cashew plantation in each village – 6 acres in each village

o   Pilot program with vegetables that was a great success

·         First day of school – every child in each of the village schools received a pen, pencil, & notebook

·         Refurbished the old Jimmi Secondary School Library – painting, shelving, and stocking it with books – this will benefit 5000 students

·         Installed 36 driveway solar lights to light up the pathway in the town centre

·         Distributed container items which included – blankets, clothing, sheets, toys, furniture, mobility tools for the elderly  and over 7000 non-perishable food donations

·         Supplied the Jimmi Clinic with gloves, bedding, sanitary aides, bandages, medications, and gave first aid supplies to the birthing centre for deliveries

·         Partnered with the Jimmi Barbgo World Vision for technology – this enabled Khadarlis to use their office space & internet for free

·         Khadarlis also registered with the Department of Economic Development, Social Welfare, and SLANGO (Sierra Leone Association of Non-governmental Organization)

Khardarlis is only beginning…

We have many more steps to take on this journey towards our goals in Sierra Leone and we invite you to join us!  

Please go to www.khadarlis.org  to see how you can help.

                                           

                                                                                                   - Patti Smith (gypsydiplomat@gmail.com)