Changing the future with clean water

We are delighted to share that your generosity through HOPE UK is currently bringing help and hope to 6,878 people in southern Ethiopia — and, more importantly, laying foundations for a future free from poverty.

As you are aware, at the heart of this transformation is something simple, yet life-changing: clean water. When a community has reliable access to safe water, everything changes — health improves, children can attend school, women gain time to earn an income and families can begin to build a better future for themselves.

Right now, work is progressing on three water and sanitation projects in southern Ethiopia, while HOPE UK has also raised additional funds offline to support a vital livelihoods project. This fourth project will equip 75 low-income, primarily landless households with beehives, training and equipment so they can earn a sustainable income through honey production — a true hand up, not a handout.

Garo Korpha: Clean Water, New Beginnings

The community of Garo Korpha has had access to clean water since September 2025. Today, 2,280 men, women, and children benefit from a local, safe water supply, saving 1.5 to 2 hours every day previously spent collecting water. This is already leading to better health, more time for work and more children attending school regularly.

Arat Ber: Water Plus Opportunity

HOPE began working with the rural community of Arat Ber in July 2025. Just four months later, their new water system was completed, bringing the same life-changing benefits seen in Garo Korpha. In addition, 100 women have received basic business training and have each started an income generating activity. They are now seeing their household incomes begin to rise, strengthening their families’ futures.

Zala Barena: The Next Community on the Journey

This month, work has begun in the smaller community of Zala Barena, home to 1,025 people. Initial community meetings have taken place, materials for the water system are being delivered and local people are already contributing what they can — collecting timber, sand and stones — working side by side with HOPE’s construction team. This shared effort ensures the project is truly owned by the community.

All three of these water projects — as well as the beekeeping livelihoods component of another HOPE project — have been entirely funded by HOPE UK supporters. Thank you.  We are grateful that favourable exchange rates have meant your donations in GBP have gone even further than originally expected in Ethiopia, allowing HOPE UK to fund more projects than before.

Because of people like you, more communities are gaining clean water, more families are learning life-changing skills and more people are being empowered to lift themselves out of poverty. This is not just about meeting today’s needs — it is about building healthy, resilient communities with the skills, confidence and resources to shape their own future.

Thanks for your support.

Hana, a 25-year-old resident of the Arat Ber community, left school in Grade 3 following the death of her mother. Now married with a baby girl, she relies on her husband’s farming income to support their family.

Like many women in Arat Ber, Hana is responsible for fetching water for her household. Each day, she collects around 40 litres, requiring two trips to the nearby river—an unprotected source also used by animals. Each journey takes about an hour, meaning Hana spends at least two hours daily collecting unsafe water.

Hana told HOPE staff that her family, like many others in the community, regularly suffers from waterborne illnesses such as diarrhoea, cholera, stomach pain and eye infections. Treatment requires frequent visits to the health centre, placing both financial and emotional strain on already vulnerable households.

The Arat Ber community is hopeful that HOPE’s support to build a local water system will transform their lives—providing clean, safe water, reducing illness and easing the financial burden of medical costs.

Since July 2025, HOPE Ethiopia staff have worked alongside the community to construct a pipeline from a newly capped spring to a reservoir. Community members have contributed labour, reflecting their strong commitment to the project.

Hana is excited about the change. Within weeks, her daily walks for water will be reduced by 1.5 hours, giving her more time to support her family’s needs and opening new opportunities for a healthier, more secure future.

Thank you for your support.