The Program benefits over 600,000 people.
It is disclosed that Millennium Development Goals Water supply and Sanitation Program in rural Amhara has constructed safe water supply schemes, small scale irrigation projects and natural resource conservation works. It is also noted that the program carried out private and communal sanitation awareness raising activities in five districts of North and South Wollo and North Gondor Administrative Zones.
ORDA-MDGs Water and Sanitation Program Manager Ato Kesela said that the project provides safe water facility and irrigation services for over 183,531 while renders private and communal sanitation services for over 292,480 and environmental protection for 150,000 residents in Ambasel, Kutabur, Werbabo, Raynakobo and East Belessa districts in collaboration with German Agro- Action with an outlay of 3.5 Euro with 15% labour cost.
The Manger said that currently the facility helped to raise safe water service coverage in the intervention districts from the present 22 per cent to 50 per cent while the sanitation coverage increased to 60 per cent from the present 18 per cent after the program intervention. The contribution of ORDA-Millennium Development Goal Water Supply and Sanitation program, he said, is significant to reach at this level.
According to the manager’s explanation more than five thousand people have benefited from the developed small scale irrigation schemes. He also told to Emerta Newsletter that the activities done are part of Millennium Development Goal set by Health Sector and Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP) of our country. The Manager also added that the project is contributing a lot to realize the GTP as well. Furthermore, he said “since the works were community oriented it has been possible to create ownership feeling among the communities by providing responsibility of managing the facilities.”
Ato Andent Sebesbe Chief Administrator of Ambessel Woreda, one of the districts of the Project intervention areas of MDGs, on his part said that the project constructed around 67 potable water schemes which will give services for over 22,100 people who are residing in the aforementioned Woreda.
In addition to this, the manger expressed that the big efforts are done by the project in line with community sanitation, school general sanitation and other systems and there by streamlining the community to graduate in all health extension packages after fulfilling all the necessary health packages. The manager also notified “the extensive works have managed to create awareness in order to realize the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in the health sector.”
One of the beneficiaries of the program w/ro Askal Gashaw from Ambassel Woreda, Gishen Kebele and farmer Wedaj Aragaw from RayaKobo Woreda, 09 Kebele residents’ said that in the previous time they were highly suffered and faced with great challenges in searching for potable water. However, they said, after the construction of potable water schemes in their village, they became beneficiaries of potable water and other related services. They further added, thus enabled them to keep their personal and families’ hygiene as well as to use their time and energy for development activities effectively.
MDG Water and Sanitation -German Agro Action funded program, accomplished its five years plan almost 95 per cent and is working hard to make its performance 100 per cent at the end of June, 2012, Kesela noted.