Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in the Oromiya Region

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See also: Crosscutting Issues – Water

Date of Operation: 2009 – 2012Two women at a well collecting water

Primary Implementing Partner: Lifewater International (LWI)

Other Implementing Partners: Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY) Development and Social Services Commission

Regions of Operation: Oromiya

Goal:

  • Improve health status, educational attainment, and gender equity among at-risk populations in the project areas

Project Objectives:

  • Increase access to and use of safe drinking water
  • Improve access to and use of improved sanitation facilities
  • Increase community awareness of hygiene and sanitation principles
  • Improve local capacity to develop and manage water and sanitation facilities

Description:

Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) is a strategy that integrates the construction of water and sanitation facilities with the promotion of effective hygiene and sanitation practices. This project improves the health and well-being of impoverished communities by providing access to water and WASH resources, as well as to encourage communities to take action to reduce water and sanitation related diseases.

This project will directly provide more than 80,000 people with access to safe, clean water and hygiene education. In addition, the project incorporates various monitoring and evaluation measures to ensure the sustainability and quality of field work. Specifically, the project aims to integrate WASH programs in communities and their corresponding social groups, such as schools, women’s groups, and church groups, and to build the capacity of local communities and implementing partners through practical, participatory, recurrent training.

Expected Results:

  • Construct and/or rehabilitate hand-dug wells, shallow wells, capped springs, community water points, water harvesting reservoirs, and pit and ventilated latrines to benefit over 80,000 community members and school children
  • Conduct water quality tests in all constructed water schemes before community use
  • Train field workers, health officers and teachers on latrine design and construction
  • Train health extension workers, community mobilizers and hygiene promoters on community-based hygiene and sanitation implementation
  • Establish sanitation and hygiene promotion clubs in schools
  • Establish, train, and make operational new WASH committees