A Clean Water Beneficiary Woman

The Organization for Rehabilitation & Development in Amhara (ORDA) funded by Charity Water has been implementing WaSH Projects entitled 297 and 331 with a total budget of 2.2 Million USD (over 68 Million Birr) in 2019 and 2020 in North Shoa Zone of Amhara region, Ethiopia.

W/ro Tsige Shiferaw, aged 48, is a married and has seven children (4 boys and 3 girls). W/ro Tsige, a resident at Gendeber village in Chefanan Kebele, Angolana Tera Woreda, has been suffering from water shortages for many years.

In the past, residents used to get water from Chefe spring. However, after the spring dried up, the community traveled in the midst of night and queued up to fetch water from Chacha river. The developed spring that ORDA has built for the residents has served for the past 14 years and is now completely dried.

When the spring dried up, they fetch water from capital town of the woreda from individuals and it took an hour to get back to home. As a result, the family was unable to prepare & eat meals on time, including children. Personal and environmental hygiene have also been poor.

The presence of Alpha Drinking Water Production PLC/ Company in the area has facilitated access to safe drinking water for the local community. However, the community is required to travel for an hour and is facing various traffic accidents due to the need to cross the highway.

Tsige said, "ORDA, in collaboration with Charity Water, has helped us use clean water in the nearby. We are now saved from water borne diseases, including our children. It saved us time and energy. Our children are not wasting their time of education. We have got enough water. We are very pleased."

The local community has been involved in the development of the spring. They also provided stone, local materials and supported in labor.