Summary
The funds for this project will be used to cover the cost to complete the RHT in Mamama, where construction has been disturbed by a crime incidence.
Background
The Safer Future Youth Development Project (SFYDP) has an own Water and Sanitation Department with motivated staff, who are very skilful in community training. The organisation has gained experience with underground Rainwater Harvesting Tanks (RHT), the repairing and maintenance of water-wells and different techniques of water purification like SODIS (Solar Water Disinfection). In 2004 two staff members of the SFYDP were trained in the method of constructing and maintaining RHT at the Barefoot College in India. So far the SFYDP has built eight RHT and is presently finishing the constructing of some other tanks in cooperation with Blue Planet Run, Peer Water Exchange. In 2005 Lifewater International trained three of our staff-members in well repairs and maintenance and about hygiene and sanitation principles. In 2008 two staff-members were also trained about Community Lead Total Sanitation (CLTS) by UNICEF.
Our main focus is always on the cooperation with the affected community. Community members are involved in the construction and totally responsible for the maintenance after completion. Therefore they are trained in the correct utilisation of the water source, informed about hygienic standards as well as water chlorination. Through workshops the awareness of the entire community is guaranteed. To exchange these techniques with other African Countries the Project Manager visited Timbuktu, Mali, in October 2007 to share his knowledge. The SFYDP as a member of the Peer Water Exchange program already cooperated several times with the Blue Planet Run Foundation in constructing tanks for schools. Another strength of the Water and Sanitation Department is to repair water-wells that are broken down due to poor maintenance. Since 2005 the SYFDP repaired over twenty water wells in remote areas. New hand pumps have been installed and through a workshop the entire community was introduced to the correct maintenance of water-wells. This helps to prevent further damages and guarantees the right utilisation, as water-wells are one of the most common water sources in Sierra Leone.