Donors & implementing partners visit Dera WASH project

3 Nov. 2017 - The two institutional donors from water.org and Cartier Philanthropy visited Amhara Region of Ethiopia in November.

Their key objective was to familiarize themselves with a Project called Welfare Improvement through Accessing Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Facilities being implemented in Dera District of Amhara Region. 

ORDA and Amref Health Africa funded by water.org & Cartier Philanthropy have been implementing a Project called Welfare Improvement through Accessing Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Facilities in Dera District from April 2015 and ends in March 2018.

The project basically targets to improve the health and general welfare of a total of 31,473 population of nine rural kebeles in Dera District of  Amhara region with a total project budget  USD $1,030,880.89. 

The Donor team kicked off their visit at Sana Motorized Rural Water supply system which serves for more than 3 thousand people in the area. The scheme was started with a shallow well but due to its better discharge, it’s upgraded to a greater water supply and the reservoir has a capacity of 75 thousand liters of water. 

Farmer Abebu Addis, a resident at Sana kebele, has 6 children (4 are female). She exclaimed she used to fetch water travelling long distance from a small river. She said,” We formerly shared unsafe water with animals and wild beasts. For this reason, our children were frequently sick with water born diseases; however, we all     beneficiaries are so happy.”

So far, the project constructed 60 new schemes (7SBH, 4SPDs, 49HDWs, 1MRPS), rehabilitated 40 schemes (37HDWs, 3SPDs), benefited 23,339 people.

Donors and implementing partners visited Kurie (a hand dug well), Key Zemo (a shallow well), Cheguarit Zigba (Spring development) and some of Open Defecation Free (ODF out of nine). 

Thanks to the generosity and support of the project. With your help, we can change lives and prevent an even worse situation following a major water crisis in the region.