The primary aim of this project is to provide a sustainable water supply in Gezesso, a village of 2,383 people in southwest Ethiopia, using an innovative gravity-fed system and local community involvement, with associated public health, equal opportunity and community empowerment benefits. It involves capping 3 springs and constructing 3 water tanks, 12 water points, 11 wash basins and 340 pit latrines. Water will be piped 6.5 km from the capped springs to the village.
Currently the community of Gezesso depend on the daily collection of water which is 2-3 hours away and contaminated. In this region of rural Ethiopia, only 15% of households have access to clean water & 90% of rural households have no toilet or latrine system. As a result they often suffer from poor health, a lack of education and little opportunity for earning necessary money to meet their immediate needs, with women and children impacted most. In short they are locked into a cycle of poverty.
With local access to safe water, the community would be able to devote their energy to developing a sustainable future - with improved health, time for education and opportunity for increased income. Clean water will also be supplied to the local primary school and health centre, which service surrounding villages and are staffed by local people. Additionally, two Water Committees will be elected and 20 Water Caretakers will be trained, each with 50% women, providing leadership opportunities.
HOPE believes that access to clean water is a catalyst to community transformation. We will improve health by improving the quality & quantity of clean, safe water to 2,383 people, reduce disease transmission by teaching about hygienic practices, allow time for children to regularly attend school, provide a local source of water for increased food production, allow time & opportunity for increased income generating activities and increase gender equality by providing opportunities.
This project has provided additional documentation in a XLSX file (projdoc.xlsx).
