Clean Water in Rwanda

Lack of access to clean water is a continuous problem in rural areas of Rwanda, and it is a great challenge to try and provide clean and safe drinking wate rin the villages of district Ruhango. The current drinking water in the villages in Rwanda is very unclean and unsafe.

Families not drinking enough water or drinking contaminated water, easily get infectious diseases that often result in disorder or even deaths. Water-borne disease such as Hepatitis A, diarrhea and dysentery continue to affect many families. There are other adverse effects of limited access to water including a limited ability to wash hands and body properly, resulting in increased infections in the intestinal tract and skin or eyes.

Because of limited water sources villagers, often women and children, in the district Ruhango need to walk long distances to collect water. This distracts them their domestic chores or other work, and also causes fatigue and dehydration. It also affects childrens’ education, who need to balance school and supplying their family with water.

Goals overview

As access to clean water has been proven to reduce illnesses in Rwanda, this project aims to make clean water accessible for local communities in Ruhango, Rwanda. This will improve the general health of the families as well as reduce womens burden of having the walk long distances to collect water. To this end 28 protected and accessible water sources will be built, the suitable type depending on the community and area.

Current status

This project starts officially on the 1st of June, 2009. Previous to this Together in Actions administration team is in Rwanda campaigning for the implementation of the project with COFORWA. The campaign started within the Rwandese community in the Netherlands, and with other organizations and/or private parties. The aim is to mobilize the Rwandese community working or living in the Netherlands to contribute financially to the overall development for rural areas in Rwanda.

The goal is to have each Rwandese family in the Netherlands will support at least one fountain. Together in Action has already started distributing folders in the Netherlands, and the details can be viewed on the Together in Action website in English and Dutch.

Project plan

COFORWA will be offering a course to 5 people for 3 weeks, to reduce the costs of the protected water sources in the district Ruhango.

They will be asked to construct a fountain, a water pump, and a water container if necessary. This is a continuous project. Once funding is secured the local agents will be asked to start constructing the various protected water sources. After 3 months a report of actibities will be made, and after 6 months the projects will be checked up on. Local partners will continuously be providing updates on the project, till June 2010 when the last report will be completed.

Through this project 5 people will be employed and be share responsibility in realizing the construction of the water fountain, water pump, and of placing the water containers in the various villages. Instructions about the quality of water will be provided. This project initiated through COFORWA, a field partner in Rwanda. The construction, maintenance, and operation will be done by the local communities in Rwanda, which will result in an increase of employment opportunities. The overall benefits will be an increase in the family income and an improvement in the living circumstances.

To ensure continuity of the project, it will be implemented in liaison with the local government (Sector level), who will follow up the project and integrate it with their water plans in the community. The government also takes the responsibility to train and sensitize the community on appropriate usage of the water sources.

COFORWA will instruct the people around the water systems on how to use and maintain the water resources. In future COFORWA will periodically inspect all water instruments. In general the fountain doesn’t need the maintenance in the short term.

In this way clean water solutions are being created that will give lasting clean water to communities.