A "SPRING" in our step...

Yes, I am talking about the amount of SP staff I see walking/jogging around ELWA-but I also want to share with you about our new Spring protection (capping) project that was recently completed.  There are many underwater springs in Liberia-and Taya our amazing WASH program manager has been wanting to construct a spring protection 'box' for a long time.  Well the time came, and these past two weeks along with water technical advisor-Phil, from the UK, a spring was sprung!  Here are some pictures of the evolution of a spring being protected...

Step 1:  Here is the spring to be protected-at the top of the picture is the 'eye' of the spring.

Step 2:  A pipe is laid into the water source, "eye", and then a wall is built (this is looking down from the top of the spring).

Step 3:  The area is then filled against the wall-the pipe opening is on the other side of the wall.

Step 4:  A completed Spring protection project!  Phil, Taya and their awesome WASH team.  Where Phil is sitting is where the top of the open spring was...

The new Spring in action-protected clean water...

The community of Belibende now has a functioning protected spring that provides them with clean water.  Hopefully, spring protection projects will continue to be part of the WASH program-and money from raised through the marathon will help!  I want to thank Phil for coming down and being a great help to Taya and her team-the whole WASH team worked from 7am -6 or 7pm for almost 10 straight days-that not easy-oh!!!

As mentioned the other "spring"in our step is all the exercise our SP staff have been doing.  We now have close to 30 SP staff members running in the 10km road race in Monrovia on Aug. 28th.  We may even have one or two do the full marathon (no, not me!).  CLP/Communications program manager-Joni is also in on the fun!

Joni getting ready for a run!  Woohoo!

The majority of my training for the London marathon was done solo...which was good at the time.  However, it has been a lot of fun running with our staff and sharing this experience with them.  I have started running 3 times a week-just doing one lap of ELWA (1.6 miles). I know it sounds like so little after doing 26.2-but I want to take time to heal and not over do it-causing more injuries!  Two of the many reasons why I run:  providing clean water for Liberians and to be an encouragement to our SP staff team-and now they are inspiring and encouraging me...AWESOME!