By Sarah Cohen | Communications and Development Manager
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.
Links:
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