Clean water saves lives!
With your help, we can bring clean drinking water to the village of Saware. Children and families need clean water – now! For their health and a better future.
What is the water situation like today?
Children and women in and around Saware, in southern Ethiopia, walk long distances up and down the hillside several times a day to fetch water. Often from unprotected water holes with unclean water. Depending on the season, these water holes carry even less water and become even more polluted. There is a single water source located several hundred metres below the village, which means that children and women have to walk a long way down the mountain and then back up again with full water canisters. In addition, the water becomes very cloudy and unclean during the rainy season. Many people therefore go to the nearby water holes uphill. But dangerous pathogens lurk in the contaminated water!
The polluted water causes frequent illness among the people of Saware, especially children. Many diseases caused by unclean drinking water can be prevented by clean water. According to figures from the World Health Organisation, more than 2.1 million people worldwide have no access to clean drinking water. In Ethiopia, almost half of the population is without clean drinking water. This situation is an everyday occurrence and unacceptable. We want to change this!
All pictures are from the village of Saware.
The new drinking water supply
The existing spring catchment below the village will be renovated and better protected, equipped with a filter system and a reservoir will be built. In addition, a pumping station with a solar pump and a distribution network will be installed to bring the water to the higher-lying village and distribute it to the population at three water stations. This will enable women and children to obtain clean drinking water nearby in future.
In preparation for the project, we commissioned water experts from the University of Arba Minch in southern Ethiopia to carry out investigations, water tests and detailed planning for the best option for a safe and sustainable drinking water supply in Saware.
To ensure a holistic and sustainable approach, the village community will be involved from the very beginning and will also help with the construction. A local water consortium will be established in the village, with women in particular being involved. This is because they have a special interest in a functioning and safe drinking water supply. Training courses for the operation and maintenance of the facility will be held. This will ensure the proper maintenance of the drinking water system. We are also planning training courses and information on health and water hygiene.
We need CHF 30,000 for the entire project.
With CHF 12,000, we can renew the spring catchment, ensure drinking water quality, set up a community water committee, and develop and implement training courses on drinking water and hygiene.
With the remaining CHF 18,000, we can build the pumping station, the distribution network with water pipes and the new water stations, add a solar pump and ensure maintenance.
Please help us! The children and families in Saware are grateful.