Thirsty for Clean Water, Hungry for HOPE

In recent weeks, with the help of the local community, HOPE successfully completed the construction of the new water system in Zala Dola! This means that now an additional 1,484 people are drinking, cooking and washing with clean water and are significantly improving the quality of their lives.  This is wonderful news during a time of great global uncertainty as clean water access will not only help this needy communities break out of the cycle of poverty, but, in the current crisis, can protect them from the deadly COVID-19 virus by the provision of hand washing and other forms of good public health practices. 

Thus far, confirmed cases of coronavirus in this region of Ethiopia where HOPE has been working for 35 years have been relatively low, but they have been steadily increasing throughout the country since May. However, now concerns about the potential economic impact of the virus are as great as the fear of coronavirus itself. Therefore, in a context of national cost increases, regional locust swarms and deadly local landslides - all of which severely threaten food security - HOPE’s work to provide clean water access, health education and livelihood skills to earn needed money and grow their own food are all the more vital and timely and the community of Zala Dola know this more than anyone else!

In Zala Dola, two springs were capped and a 5.86 km pipe line was dug and laid by members of the local community, allowing water to flow to the newly built water reservoir tank and then to ten new water points and eight wash basins.  Clean water is also now available at two local schools and at one health station (although currently all schools are closed due to COVID-19).  

In addition to helping advise on the construction of the water infrastructure, HOPE continues to work with families to educate them on building and using household latrines and practicing basic hygiene and sanitation, such as proper hand-washing, to help them fully benefit from their new access to a nearby source of clean water. Ten members of the community have also been trained as Water Caretakers to maintain the system’s infrastructure and 44 people have been elected by the community as members of their Water Association, working together to properly manage the water usage in the community (ensuring that taps stay clean, fences are maintained, water fees are collected and paid, etc.).

Basic business skill and entrepreneurial training for the seven groups of women (with 20 in each group) was started at the same time as the construction work.  This means local families are already benefitting from the initial new small businesses that have started, with loans taken out from their  SHGs, and there are more businesses starting each week.  Whilst this is importantly generating money for each family, it has been reported that the growing confidence in women is notable as they are making significant contributions to their family's income, many for the first time.  

A member of the HOPE Ethiopia staff will continue to live in the community for the next 16 months to allow adequate time for changes in hygiene and sanitation behaviours to be embedded and to fully realise the health, educational and economic benefits resulting from having access to clean water.  More than ever before, with COVID-19 encroaching, this work is vital.  

Thank you for your contribution to this life-saving work for this community.  If you would like to contribute to our next project, we are urgently seeking to raise funds to start project in Garadida, another rural Ethiopian community.  In fact, in just a couple days, GlobalGiving is running a Bonus Day campaign on 15th July, matching donations of £100-£1,000. Immediate donations would allow us to purchase needed materials so work can commence sooner and this community of 1,176 men, women and children might be able to better protect themselves from the virus.  We are grateful for your continued support.