Published in August 2025

Following on from my last ‘before and after’ report on Woni wa Mutyanthii’s sand dam (click here to read), this month I’m delighted to share highlights from revisiting Muka self-help group’s 2020 sand dam, built with the support of SDW, our partners the Africa Sand Dam Foundation (ASDF) and once again, an amazing group of expedition volunteers. 

We revisited Muka on 15th March. Sarah Field (SDW Trustee) and I led the sand dam expedition there in 2020, with a group of volunteers from England, Sweden, Canada and America. In that relatively short space of time the site has changed so much that it’s almost unrecognisable.

The dam is still maturing – as it does the water will filter through the sand (where it is stored safe from contamination), and the surface water will either evaporate or be utilised until only the sand layer remains with water stored safely within the sand. That said, it is already holding an abundance of water which has transformed the local environment, such that it’s bursting with greenery and wildlife and providing a fantastic asset for the local community. Several community members had arrived to meet us including the charismatic Chairman Paul Nguli, and it was lovely to meet up with old friends.

Paul’s daughter Pauline Kivilu (pictured on the right) described the daily quest for water before the dam was built: she’d get up at 6am, get the children to school and then collect water from 5km away - she’d walk in both directions, returning with a 20 litre jerrycan each time, doing this trip at least twice a day.

The community's farming activities were extremely limited by the lack of water, and they told us about sickness caused by contaminated water, lack of access to schooling, hunger, malnutrition and feelings of insecurity while journeying to collect water - many of the same issues we’d encountered on our other site visits. Jackson Mbaluka, the SHG Secretary said:

“Overall life was very difficult because people could not engage in meaningful agricultural activities. People would go and beg the government for relief food to sustain their families and there was also a lot of insecurity in the area because people would be forced to steal so [they] could buy food for their families. Generally people felt insecure, especially those that had things stolen, whether it’s livestock or money.” 

Sarah Mutiso, who is 85-years-old and one of the original SHG members, told us how important it is for her now being able to wash properly, with access to plentiful water so close to her home. Nowadays, she said, things are very good for her, contrasting sharply with her previous experience when she had to ask someone to accompany her to collect water because of the fear of being attacked. She emphasised the importance of personal hygiene and the value of the training they’d had, including the provision of a latrine at each household.

Job opportunities, previously completely lacking, had been created for the community’s young men through farming and other activities, with a lot of produce being sold at the local market. They have ambitious plans for farming: this year, for example, they plan to grow 20,000 cabbages. For this they need better irrigation and have applied to the local government for solar pumping. This would be in addition to maize, tomatoes and beans, which command a high price during the dry season. And as the dam has never failed to provide them with water, this doesn’t feel unrealistic.

Paul left us with this message for those who supported their sand dam build:

“Please pass on our deep appreciation for the support they offered in the construction of this project because they showed us a lot of love and a lot of strength. We never felt that people from Europe would be able to engage in this type of work, but we were very motivated by how the team worked. As much as it is five years ago, we always have them in our hearts, always miss them and feel they became part of us through their participation in this project."

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If you'd like to find out more or join a sand dam expedition, please click here or contact [email protected] 

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Please donate what you can and help to empower vulnerable women and girls in drylands to transform their own lives with sand dams and clean water