Promising Results of Participatory Learning & Action: The Case of Bassona Worana Woreda

ORDA Ethiopia in partnership with Charity Water has been providing safe water, hygiene and sanitation services in North Shoa Zone of Amhara Region of Ethiopia for the past three years. In 2021 alone, the project has accomplished 79 shallow wells, 10 springs and 4 latrines and is going to benefit over 30 thousand people in areas where the water and sanitation problem is most acute.

For the past two years(2019 and 2020), the project has benefited a total of over 55 thousand people by developing 172 water facilities in Siyadebirina Wayu, Basona Worana, and Angolelana Tera woredas with 68.8 million birr.

Latrine status and utilization in rural community of Bossona Worana was found to be very low and needed attention to promote hygiene and sanitation behavior in the community. For years, health sector has been trying all its best to curve the challenge and insist on the community to own an improved latrine at household level. However, people couldn’t show practical changes in that regard.

As a result, the project has come with a new approach called Participatory Learning & Action (PLA) to improve the lives of the local community’s hygiene and sanitation practices and water schemes management.

Since January 2021, a total of 16 pilot villagers in Bossona Worana and Siya debirina Wayu woredas are comprised and adapted PLA as a means for a better awareness and attitudinal change. This really has results in promising achievements.

The use of sanitation facilities blocks the transmission of fecal-to-oral related disease. Health improvement comes from the proper use of sanitation facilities. This is best achieved through regular use of clean and well maintained latrines and water schemes.

Farmer Tekleyohannes Dagne, married and a father of four children (male 3 & female 1), is a resident at Ametsegna village in Bakello kebele of Bassona Worana Woreda.

"I wasn’t cautious enough about WaSH and related diseases. We used to execrate everywhere in the surrounding. I didn’t accept what our health extension worker advised me to practice. I was punished for not using a latrine but it couldn’t convince me at all. I was totally odd regarding WaSH activities." he exclaimed.

ORDA Charity water trained the community on issues of water schemes management, utilization of latrine at household and institutional level after endorsing PLA approach since November 2021.

Ato Tekleyohannes is now radically changed. He built up a concrete latrine and bathroom. He also extends advice his neighbors to comply household latrine and manage the water scheme. Since June 2020, villagers accessed safe water and freed from waterborne diseases thanks to ORDA Charity Water.

Sengaberet spring was also maintained and become functional as alternative water source. The community is actively engaged to carry out WaSH activities of the kebele. They fenced the spring and collects monthly fee for maintenance.

They also have started to construct a latrine around service provision areas like churches, grain milling houses, veterinary posts, farmer training centers (FTCs) etc.