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FAWCO Target Water Presentation – 3 Finalists

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Start my presentation w/ short review

Goal of Target Program –  (focus efforts on one issue in order to really make an impact!) @

Water chosen as focus: FAWCO Target issue: Increasing the sustainable access to safe drinking water globally.

Why is water so important? @

Water problems affect half of humanity and 884 million people lack access to a safe water supply – approximately 1 in 8 people! @

Half of all people in developing countries suffer at any given time from a health problem caused by water and sanitation deficits.  @

There are 443 million school days lost each year due to water-related illnesses.

Without food a person can live for weeks, but without water, you can expect to live only a few days. In terms of being essential for life, Water is the top priority! @

Fortunately, focus on water = focus on other global problems: education, health and empowerment of women and this makes water a strong issue for Target focus. OK, that’s what we have done so far. @

Focus now is the selection of FAWCO’s Target Water Project. 12  projects were be submitted for consideration & were evaluated by the selection committee. The projects needed to be: Specific – Measureable – Achievable - Relevant - Time limited  - and Sustainable. There were 3 finalists chosen and while they differ in many ways, they will all be carried out by reliable organizations that will make sure the money we raise is wisely used for the project we have chosen. Now let’s take a look at these projects: @

1st Finalist Project: The Katosi Women's Rain Water Harvesting and Filtration Project in Uganda @

The project will improve the quality of life for HIV-infected and -affected women, the widowed, the elderly and their family members in rural fishing communities north of Lake Victoria by improving their access to safe water. @

Why is this necessary?

Big part of community depends on open water sources including ponds and lake water, much  is also shared w/ animals.

This water is polluted and causes ill health which is further aggravated by high HIV rates in area.

Water sources not close either = 75% walk for over 2 hours or over 3km.

Women and children are majority of population in these fishing communities, with many families having extra dependants to care for as result of relatives who have died of HIV.

How to address these problems? @

This project has 4 components:

(1) Due to the high level of rainfall in area, and the tin roofs on many households, a domestic rainwater harvesting system was  chosen to meet water needs.

(2) Bio-sand water filters to ensure that the drinking water is clean and safe.  These  sand filters  are

• cost effective,
• sustainable,
• easy to use, and
• easy to maintain

(3) Awareness training for the women:  about this water system in general  and how to use and maintain the sand filters.

(4) 4 women will be trained as masons as part of this project.( got tired of waiting for men to do building!!)  @

48 households will get rain water harvesting tanks – (targets the  most vulnerable members in who are unable to pay for this themselves.)

This project carried out by Women for Water Partnership, which is an ‘umbrella’ organization with 24 international and local women’s organizations as members (kind of like FAWCO!)

Implementation of the project in the field will be overseen by project officers of the Katosi Women’s Development Trust

• This is a grass-roots organization that has identified the needs in their community and is working to address these needs in an appropriate and sustainable manner.
• The Katosi Women’s Trust is a member group of the Women for Water Partnership and - as name suggests – all  members are women.

Advantages of this group’s involvement:

• Project targets Women’s Trust members (must be member to be eligible)
• Women’s Trust will assure that right beneficiaries are selected and they will operate and manage resources
• There is a local contribution to project through Women’s Trust member fees
• Project is owned and run entirely by the Women’s Trust members

Some visuals of the project aspects: @

Training and building of bio sand filters @

Tank form and women masons who will build the tank @

The completed RWH tank in a home garden @

This source of clean water next to the home enables women to plant home gardens for produce which they eat to improve their diet and can sell to generate income. @

Chart which sums up various aspects of project:

• Cost – total cost of project is $54,399, but the women’s trust dues fee contribution = $3,013 so asking FAWCO for $51,385. (relatively small amount - part of ongoing project so number helped can be increased to correspond w/ amount raised.)
• Water – 80 households / 1217 people
• Targets most vulnerable group – health improvements important
• Very special aspect – virtually 100% run by women, much training  plus development of organizational skills for Women’s Trust members “running” project
• Income: masons, Women’s Trust staff, participants in home gardens  @

Second finalist project: Wells for Clean Water – Cambodia @

The project will provide potable water for 4732 families with 37,856 dependents by the installation of 1,912 wells/ponds in 12 project areas with no safe wells or drinking water. @

Why is this necessary?

• Pol Pot regime decimated the Cambodian population, destroying the social, moral and economic fiber of the country and most wells in countryside.
• Villagers and animals now use open ponds or rivers which are often polluted, resulting in diarrhoea and other infectious diseases@

Project carried out by Tabitha Foundation which was founded in 1994 to support aid efforts in the area.Tabitha is an NGO based in Cambodia w/ 6 foundations worldwide, work with a minimum of overheads - most run by volunteers.

Tell a bit about the Tabitha Savings Program  - was started to help people take control of their own lives and rebuild trust. Families are encouraged to save money and any amount, no matter how small, is accepted, earning 10% interest. Only families who are enrolled in the Savings Program are eligible for the wells program. @

How will project goals be realized?

• As I just mentioned, only families enrolled in Savings program are eligible
• Type of water source is chosen: Family well, field well, or a community pool
• Contractor drills wells – up to 250 families dig hole for community pool:  hole is 10x12 meters, Contractor uses cement and steel straps to form sides and steps into the pond @

Effects:

• Families earn 10% interest on savings
• 4732 families have clean water which improves health and diet
• water source allows them to grow crops year round - so can earn income by selling @

Each well or pond becomes the responsibility of the family or community after construction. All families receiving wells are required to grow vegetables &/or rice. Also required to earn an income from these wells and must earn $250/month within 8 weeks of receiving their water source. @

Chart which sums up various aspects of project:

• Cost – total cost of project is considerable ($255,964) (this is an ongoing project; as many wells/ponds are installed as donations allow)
• Water – the budget given allows  for the installation of 1,912 wells or ponds, which will provide potable water for 4732 families
• Health: improvement - availability of potable water results in lower incidence of infectious diseases; water makes year-round crop growth possible, which results in better diet
• Empowering women through education: there is no specific targeting of women or educational aspect to this project
• Economic Benefit: Yes, through growth of year-round crops and animal husbandry.  @

Third proposed project: Rainwater harvesting, sanitation and health promotion initiative for the Himalayas @

Project goal:

To provide sustainable access to safe drinking water by providing rainwater harvesting jars; as well as build sanitation systems and promote good health and hygiene through education and practice in four remote villages in Nepal. @

Why is this necessary?

These mountain villages have no water source in the vicinity.

• There are health hazards due to contaminated water they do find and NO water in dry season.
• Rainwater harvesting (while it is more expensive than other water systems) has proven to be the only sustainable method of providing households on hilltops with water for the entire dry season.
• Families in this area - subsistence farming, but w/ only one harvest per year = men must migrate for seasonal (or permanent work) - leaving women, children and elderly on their own for most of the year.

Project will be carried out by the Swiss Red Cross which has been - active in area since 2002. They did a health needs assessment in 2006 which identified lack of water and basic hygiene practices as root causes of diseases and substandard health conditions. Developed a comprehensive new initiative to address these problems by providing water and health aspects @

Number of steps to achieve this goal:

• Local community facilitators  (1 male & 1 female) visit the villages and help form community groups - particularly encouraging women to attend. Facilitators assist in village problem analysis and plan of action, with latrines and water systems as part of this action plan.
• Community Facilitators conduct monthly health education sessions which continue all year.
• Community organizes local materials needed for building RW jars and latrines
• For the rain water harvesting system,  Community Facilitator works with construction staff and each family; household determines best location for rainwater jar and provides free labor;  jars hold 6500 liters (sufficient water for family of 5 and several animals for more than 4 months) @

Pit latrines are also built; family must dig pit, and  contribute local materials, other materials are subsidized.

Effects:

• Clean and sustainable water source for 175 households
• Significant improvements due to good water supply; pit latrines and monthly health education sessions
• Women empowered by participation in community groups, leadership skills developed

Chart which sums up various aspects of project:

• Cost – ($122,793); no other organization is providing funding
• Water – clean and sustainable water source for 175 households
• Health: Significant improvements due to good water supply; pit latrines and monthly health education sessions focusing on hygiene (hand washing, personal hygiene), maternal-health (antenatal, postnatal and safe delivery) and child-health (vaccination, exclusive breast feeding)
• Empowering women through education: : project targets women and children in particular and results in dramatic improvement in their quality of life; much health education is given; women are encouraged to participate in community groups and leadership skills are developed
• Economic Benefit: there is no specific economic benefit to this project @

So...which one of these will be FAWCO’s Target Water Project? @

That is up to FAWCO’s clubs to decide by October 15^th when their vote is due. One thing is certain though  - each of these projects is worthwhile so there will always be a winner when the votes are counted! @

Together, we can work thorough FAWCO to Change the Flow…