Physical Health Ethiopia Project #7109

Help charity: water provide clean and safe water.

by Charity Global, Inc. dba charity: water

Project Report | May 24, 2012
charity: water Project Update in Ethiopia, Pt. 5

By Sarah Cohen | Partnership Manager

Ethiopia water project 1

COUNTRY: Ethiopia

TOTAL AMOUNT DONATED TO CHARITY: WATER: $101,866.95

PROJECT START DATE: May 2011

STATUS: In progress

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Work is well underway in Ethiopia with the funds from the community at Global Giving!

Program Review

Once the project construction is complete, our implementing partners review the functionality and the community’s response and impact of the project.

A large part of the success of any water program is changing behavior of local communities. This involves not only extensive and appropriate training on using the new water projects like keeping the space around it clear from contamination (many villages build a fence to keep out animals), and a system for maintenance and repair.

Maintenance and Sustainability

Here’s a great excerpt from a recent story on the critical need for building in maintenance and sustainability in the long term for each of our programs...

At charity: water, we know that building a water project is the easy part. Keeping clean water flowing over time, however, is a complex business that requires money, training and innovative thinking. It's something we've always been committed to.

In some cases, up to 30% of the cost of a charity: water project goes into training and educating the community about how to take care of the well after we're gone. At first, our field partners start with ownership.

We believe if the community feels a strong sense of ownership, they'll see their well as a critical asset to everyone and take good care of it collectively. Another important piece is the formation of a Water Committee. A 6-8 person team is selected from the village (often it's at least half women) and trained to make minor repairs. Often, our partners will leave spare parts for the village in case the well breaks -- because sooner or later, something always breaks. If the Water Committee is in place and active, that will keep water flowing most of the time. But sometimes a problem arises that's too big for even the best Water Committee members to tackle. Communities could wait months for repairs while they go back to drinking dirty water.

Ethiopia water project 2

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Mar 5, 2012
charity: water Project Update in Ethiopia, Pt. 4

By Sarah Cohen | Communications and Development Manager

Hand-dug well, Ethiopia 1

GlobalGiving update March 1, 2012

Report 4

Total amount donated to charity: water, $101,866.95

Country: ETHIOPIA

Project Start date: May 2011

Status: In progress

Work is well underway in Ethiopia with the funds from the community at Global Giving!

Construction

On the ground, construction and drilling are wrapping up. The partners continue training the community about safe water supply, sanitation and personal hygiene.

The Global Giving grant is utilizing a number of different water project technologies or “interventions” as our programs team calls them. Specifically, this grant will go towards shallow boreholes, a spring protection system, rehabilitation and two school projects.

Here’s more information about the different types of projects:

Hand-Dug Well

Hand-dug wells are possible in areas with a high water table. The community usually contributes time and labor, sometimes digging up to three months to reach clean water deep underground.

Spring Protection

Spring protection systems pipe clean water from natural springs. Their reach depends on the water yield; some provide water for a couple hundred people, others can be piped down to several villages.

Rehabilitation

When there’s a broken or abandoned non-charity: water project nearby, our partners find it cost-effective to repair and improve these existing projects. They also train the communities to prevent future breakdowns.

Schools

It’s a striking fact, but half the world’s schools don’t have access to clean, safe drinking water and latrines. This is especially devastating for young girls who often end their education when they reach puberty because of lack of access to a private and secure toilet.

After construction is complete, the partners will review the functionality of the water projects, the community’s response and impact.

Hand-dug well, Ethiopia 2

Water project interventions

School project

Girls at school, Ethiopia

Links:

Attachments:

Report 4 (PDF)

6 Attachments

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Nov 2, 2011
charity: water Project Update in Ethiopia, Pt. 3: FULLY FUNDED!

By Sarah Cohen | Communications and Development Manager

charity: water Report, Pt 3: Well construction

Total amount donated to charity: water (to date): $101,866.95

Country: ETHIOPIA

Project Start date: May 2011

Status: In progress

Thank you! As of October 1, 2011 the project goal of $100,000 to fund water projects in Ethiopia has been surpassed! Already $85,608 of the funds have been granted to the field and the projects are underway. The remaining funds up to $101,866.95 will be granted in the coming months and we’ll keep reporting back on the status. All future donations will help support general water project costs in the 19 countries where we currently work.

Construction and community

Right now on the ground drilling permits and materials are being purchased. Project sites are evaluated and physical construction at the water point has begun. Where possible, our partners enlist local community members to help dig wells, construct filters, build ditches for piping or help out with any other construction tasks. Our maintenance models for each project reflect the community; often, this means our partners train a local Water Committee to collect fees to maintain their projects.

We believe in water as a catalyst for social change. Our partners try to make sure the underserved or minority members of a community are represented and served by our water projects.

Hygiene and sanitation

As we mentioned in the previous report, the success of a water project largely depends on community engagement and long-term behavioral change. During this time period in the water project the community will attend hygiene and sanitation trainings to become educated about the health issues surrounding dirty water and how to properly care for their water project to prevent contamination.

Simply giving someone a latrine doesn’t mean you’ve solved the problem; they must want to use it and understand its impact on their health. We fund bathrooms at institutions like schools and health clinics, to make them cleaner, safer and more desirable places to be.

Changing behavior is often key to preventing diseases, and whenever possible, we support handwashing trainings as well as educational presentations on food protection, safe water storage and other behaviors.

This kind of participation is essential to lasting behavioral change and proper care of the project by the community.

charity: water Report, Pt 3: Drilling rig

Links:

charity: water project info

Attachments:

charity: water Report, Pt 3 (PDF)

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