Project Overview
This 3 year project, carried out by our delivery partner WaterAid, reached 24,500 people across 3 communities, providing them with clean drinking water.
Before this project began, the communities of Liben Gamo & Babich Town (Chelia district) & Toke Kombolcha (Toke Kutaye district) had the least access to water and sanitation services in the area. Water was collected from polluted rivers up to a three hour walk away which were often shared with livestock.
Through this project, WaterAid successfully reached 24,500 people with clean water, 22,000 people with improved toilets and 18,000 with hygiene messages. As well as delivering water, sanitation & hygiene, this project improved the water source protection, food production and income generation in the communities, contributing to a reduction in poverty.
Project Waterfall provided funding towards the first year of this project.
Project Stats
Start date: 2015
Status: Completed 2018
Community: Toke Kutaye and Chelia Districts, Oromia Region, Ethiopia
Total project reach: 24,500
Project Waterfall reach: 1,253
Delivery Partner: WaterAid
about Ethiopia
94,100,000 population
61% lack access to water
92% lack access to sanitation
29.6% live below the poverty line
A 3 year project reaching 24,500 people with clean water & lifting communities out of poverty for good.
WOMEN & children
In these communities, it was often the women and children who would take the daily long walk to collect water. By bringing clean water closer to home, the time spent collecting water is reduced by 85%, meaning women and children have more time to spend on the things that matter like going to school or starting their own business.
IMPROVED SANITATION
With proper hygiene and awareness, instances of water and sanitation related illnesses will rapidly decrease. Additionally, the project has raised community awareness about the need for families to build latrines at home through the 'Community Led Total Sanitation' approach.
EQUALITY & INCLUSION
All latrines, community showers, water points and wash basins were ensured to be accessible to the less able-bodied members, including the elderly and those with disabilities. ‘All room inclusive’ latrine blocks were put into schools to safeguard vulnerable students and prevent singling out.
HOW WE DID THIS
Over a period of 3 years, our partners WaterAid worked with the local community to improve access to clean drinking water, sanitation and hygiene.
Providing 22,500 people with safe, clean drinking water was accomplished by:
Constructing a gravity flow water system with 39 water points in the communities, including 4 in schools and 1 at Babich Town health centre - this involved installing 40km of water pipes which will enable one water system to serve all 3 wards
Constructing a reservoir to store water, and rehabilitating water springs
Drilling 10 shallow wells and constructing 5 hand dug wells, all fitted with hand pumps
Establishing and training 46 local water management committees with 230 members to manage the new water points, and electing a WASH management board representing these committees
Training 92 water technicians to operate and maintain the new water points, and conduct regular water quality testing
Providing 22,920 people with improved sanitation and improving hygiene awareness among 18,465 people was accomplished by:
Constructing 11 latrine blocks, 13 wash basins and 8 shower houses to improve sanitation and hygiene standards in the communities, schools and health centre
Raising community awareness about the need for families to construct latrines at home, through the Community Led Total Sanitation approach
Training school health clubs to share hygiene information and introduce healthier environments, both at school and at home, and design and distribute educational materials on health and hygiene
Supporting government health workers to carry out door-to-door hygiene promotion in the communities
Kilfo village, WaterAid
Chaltu & family, WaterAid
Path to the river, WaterAid
Donkey carrying water, WaterAid
Gobena collecting water, WaterAid
Chaltu, WaterAid
Sustainability and education
This project trained local farmers in water resource management and encouraged the planting of fruit trees and vegetables. These reduced soil erosion, increased groundwater recharge, improved the farmers’ incomes and increased local food production.
The project also dedicated time and resources to promote the importance of water resource management for food and water security, as well as WASH facilities in schools and health centres. This research can be used to influence governments at a national level to prioritise WASH projects in other communities in the district.
By providing the local community with the tools, resources and education they needed in order to maintain this project, the pumps installed will be bringing water to the people in the Toke Kutaye and Chelia districts for years to come.
the future
We will be continuing to work with WaterAid to fund clean water and sanitation projects across Ethiopia, working to reach everyone, everywhere with clean water by 2030 - please join us in supporting this valuable cause.
