Environment Articles

The Katosi Women's Rain Water Harvesting and Filtration Project (Uganda)

Brief project description:

The project intends to 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. Funding will enable the existing and active Katosi Women’s Development Trust (KWDT) to meet this goal through the installation of domestic rain water harvesting equipment, bio-sand water filters and awareness training. The proposed project will provide 48 households with rain water harvesting tanks, 80 households with bio sand water filters, and 285 women will be trained to use and adopt the bio sand water filter.  Additionally, 4 women masons will be trained in the construction of the Rainwater storage tanks and the bio-sand water filters.

Why?:

• Large % of community depends on open water sources, thus exposing them to water borne diseases.
• Dispersed nature of rural settlements = no access to national water service in this area.
• There are high levels of rainfall in Uganda and a high number of households w/tin roofs.
• Despite tremendous potential for rainwater harvesting, only a small percentage of the population utilizes this method due to poverty and lack of knowledge of this technology.
• Bio sand water filters are: cost effective, sustainable, easy to use and maintain.

Who will carry out the project?:

Women for Water Partnership (WfWP), a registered Association in the Netherlands, was ‘born’ during the World Water Forum in 2000.  WfWP is an ‘umbrella’ organization with 24 international and local women’s organizations as members (kind of like FAWCO!)

The implementation of the project in the field will be overseen by project officers of the Katosi Women’s Development Trust (KWDT), which is a registered NGO in Uganda and member group of WfWP.

KWDT is a grass-roots community organization that has identified the needs in their community and is working to address these needs in an appropriate and sustainable manner.

• Project targets KWDT members
• KWDT will assure that right beneficiaries are selected
• KWDT will operate and manage resources
• Local contribution to project through KWDT member fees
• Project is owned and run by the KWDT members
• Actual building of water tanks and sand filters will be carried out by KWDT members who have been trained as masons; bio-sand filter training is also done by KWDT members

Project budget, Water impact and Related benefits:

1. Cost of project: $54,399, but FAWCO is asked for $51,385** as KWDT dues will pay $3,013.  
2. Water: 48 households with rain water harvesting tanks and 80 households with bio sand water filters, with a total of 1217 people (1160 of this number is women and children) benefiting directly from a  sustainable access to safe drinking water **
3. Health: since project targets the most vulnerable group of women (HIV –infected & affected), their health can be improved and that of the children they are responsible for
4. Empowering women through education: training of 4 women masons and training of 285 women in the use of bio sand filter; Project will result in continuing training for KWDT members in managerial structure and processes, finances and equipment maintenance (project is run almost 100% by women)
5. Economic benefit: continuing economic benefit for women masons; the project is carried out by women from KWDT and gives them income from their jobs at KWDT; home garden income

** This is an extension of an ongoing project – if more funds are available, more households can be served!

(KWDT has established a ‘revolving scheme’ where (less disadvantaged)beneficiaries pay back half the cost into a fund which then enables another beneficiary access to same facility.)

Wells for Clean Water (Cambodia)

Brief Project description:

Cambodia is a tropical country w/ abundant rainfall in the wet season and almost none in the dry season. 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. The project will also enable the families to grow crops year-round, enabling them to increase their income from $50 a month to $250 within 3 months of receiving the water supply. Organization carrying out the project: Tabitha-Cambodia

Why?:

• Pol Pot regime decimated the Cambodian population, destroying the social, moral and economic fiber of the country.
• Most wells in countryside were destroyed during Pol Pot regime.
• Villagers and animals now use open ponds or rivers which are often polluted with excreta or chemicals, resulting in diarrhea and other infectious diseases.
• The impact of access to clean water through installation of wells is immediate and significant: health  improves and - with year-round crop growth - diet and income improve.

Who will carry out the project?:

The Tabitha Foundation, a benevolent trust, was founded in 1994 to support aid efforts in the area.  Tabitha is an NGO based in Cambodia but has 6 “daughter” Foundations worldwide.  All work with a minimum of overheads, with most Foundations run by volunteers. 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.

Local contractors are used to drill wells and families must contribute a nominal amount towards the cost of their type of water source:

• Family well: pipe goes 50-60 meters down, hand pump used w/cement apron around pump area
• Field well: similar to Family well, but deeper and wider; can irrigate 4 hectares
• Community pond: up to 250 families dig hole (10x12 meters), cement and steel straps are used to form sides and steps into the pond; supplies water for 250 families

Each well or pond becomes the responsibility of the family or community after construction.

All families receiving wells are required to earn an income from these wells (through raising animals or fish) and all families are required to grow vegetables &/or rice. They must earn $250/month within 8 weeks of receiving their water source.

Project budget, Water impact and Related benefits:

• Cost of project: $ 255,964. – (this is an ongoing project; as many wells/ponds are installed as donations allow)
• Water: the above budget allows for the installation of 1,912 wells or ponds, which will provide potable water for 4732 families, with 37,856 dependents
• Health: the availability of potable water results in lower incidence of diarrhea, skin infections and other 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: economic benefit through growth of year-round crops and animal husbandry; families with access to a well are able to work their way out of poverty much quicker than those who do not.

Rainwater harvesting, sanitation and health promotion initiative for the Himalayas (Nepal)

Brief Project description:

This project will 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 villages. These mountain villages (3000 meters) in the Mid-west region of Nepal are home to 175 households and at least 1050 beneficiaries, but there is no water source in the vicinity. This project targets the most vulnerable and marginalized population, in particular women and children, in a district where climate change and deforestation have left the residents without a sufficient quantity of water to meet their daily needs.

Why?:

• No access to water during dry months (Feb. – June)
• Rainwater harvesting (which 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.
• Serious health hazards caused by contamination of available water, open defecation and lack of basic hygiene practice; due to lack of water, personal hygiene and hand washing not regularly practiced
• Families in this area  live from subsistence farming w/ only one harvest per year, causing men to migrate for seasonal (or permanent work) leaving women, children and elderly on their own for most of the year.

Who will carry out the project?:

The Swiss Red Cross – active in area since 2002 - did a health needs assessment in 2006  identifying lack of water and basic hygiene practices as root causes of diseases and substandard health conditions. They have developed a comprehensive new initiative to address these problems and are working in the most vulnerable villages in the severely disadvantaged Mid-west region of Nepal. Time frame for this project is 12 months.

• Community mobilization and health promotion work will be the first step taken.
• Local community facilitators (CF) (1 male & 1 female) visit the villages and help form community groups - particularly encouraging women to attend. CFs assist in village problem analysis and plan of action, with latrines and water systems as part of this action plan.
• CFs conduct monthly health education sessions focusing on hygiene, maternal- and child- health; these sessions continue all year.
• Community organizes local materials (stone, sand, soil, wood…) needed for building RW jars and latrines
• Rain water harvesting system: CF 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 built simultaneously; family must dig pit, contribute local materials, with other materials being subsidized.
• Due to high level of personal and monetary investment, the sense of ownership by families is high.
• CFs aid in formation of Community groups to discuss problems and make action plans; chairing body of members is elected; participatory methods are used to get many involved; leadership skills are developed; gradually empower groups – CF’s gradually phase out and groups are run by members.

Project budget, Water impact and Related benefits:

• Cost of project: $122,793;  no other organization is providing funding for this project
• 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, respiratory infections)
• 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: project has no specific economic benefit