Clean water

For many people around the world, including Ethiopia, having clean water is not something taken for granted. Imagine the fear of contracting a disease like cholera simply by drinking water. In rural Ethiopia only 19% of people have access to clean water.

Save the Children has constructed a protected spring in Abaynesh's village to improve the previously unprotected water source. The spring now provides a constant flow of clean water, and has been fitted with a collection point comprising four hand taps and two platforms beneath them – one of which is adapted to allow children and the elderly to reach the taps more easily. Adults and children alike are responsible for the upkeep of the facilities, ensuring that the water is not exposed to water-borne diseases such as cholera.

Although the new water facility has major benefits for the village, it is the training that Save the Children provided to the people that has significant, long-term gains. The people of the village learn how to manage the overall operation of the spring, ensuring that the source of water remains unpolluted and safe.

Abaynesh knows the huge benefits to be gained from clean water. “In the past, I used to come to the spring as many as four times a day. The water was very bad because animals like dogs and donkeys used to drink there."

The water spring also has other benefits, particularly for girls. Being able to collect water far more quickly means that girls, including Abaynesh, can gain an education. Formerly, the reality was that girls were required to collect water for their whole village, a task that took several hours each day. Because of this girls were missing out on going to school.

Provision of a central collection point in her village means that collecting water only takes ten minutes, allowing Abaynesh to have an education.

Working with local partners, Save the Children provides the necessary equipment such as pipes and tanks, installs the facilities and then provides training to the local people who are able to continue the long-term maintenance and running of the equipment. Put simply, Save the Children’s approach gives some of the world’s poorest children the chance of a better future.

$40 trains 3 villagers to repair and maintain a clean water supply like the above project that serves 500 villagers in Ethiopia.

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