Water

The problem

In rural villages throughout Ethiopia, a communities only source of water is is often a mud puddle, stagnant pond, or contaminated stream.  In these areas, bathing and hand-washing are seldom practiced in order to save water.  Over half of the developing world’s primary schools do not have access to water and sanitation facilities.  Women and children often travel several miles each day carrying water in 40 pound containers only to become sick and even die from the very water they have worked so hard to provide for their families.

How we help

THAF works with our alliance partners to protect springs and provide water collection systems.  This prevents the spread of water-borne diseases and eases the burden placed on rural women.  While we provide the funding, each of our water projects is proposed, constructed, and managed by the local community. A 2012 survey of water projects in Ethiopia found that when these projects are completed with community involvement, their success rate and long-term sustainability is markedly improved.

More people die from a polluted water every year than from all forms of violence, including war.

    United Nations Report

BEFORE-Collecting water from a contaminated mud puddle

BEFORE-Collecting water from a contaminated pond

BEFORE-Collecting water from a contaminated mud puddle

BEFORE-Collecting contaminated water from a mud puddle

BEFORE-Collecting contaminated water from a mud puddle

AFTER-Collecting clean drinking water from a THAF protected spring

AFTER-Collecting clean drinking water from a THAF protected spring

AFTER-Clean drinking water from a THAF protected spring

AFTER-Clean drinking water from a THAF protected spring

AFTER-Clean drinking water from a THAF protected spring

Water containers waiting to be filled at THAF protected spring

THAF sponsored water system for kindergarten

THAF sponsored water system for hospital

THAF sponsored water system for hospital

THAF Protected spring

THAF Protected spring