WellWishers Newsletter 44, April 2018
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WellWishers Ethiopia Newsletter 44, April 2018
Mrs Kiros Abraha (right): "God bless you our donors. We are facing problems, but now our children are clean and healthy and going to school".
Dear friends of WellWishers,
It has been an enormous privilege to have visited some of our WellWishers wells in the last month. Our 2017 program was successfully completed with the construction of another 40 wells combined with the implementation of a sanitation program in remote communities in northern Ethiopia. Clean water and a latrine in every household for over 8,800 villagers! The original plan for 2017 was 40 wells for 6,405 villagers, but after construction, demand on the 40 wells increased to over 8800 because of the attraction of precious clean water. The pressure from our village partners for clean water is enormous. At Mai Getem (story below) the plan was to get water to 240 people, but as committee member Mr Kassa Gebremedhin explained, almost 500 are now coming to pump water from this well.
Pictured above are women at the Mai Getem well in Sero Subdistrict, Ahferom District, Tigray Region, Ethiopia (Google Maps will find it for you at Latitude 14.29159 Longitude 39.217) (click here for a satellite view of the area). The well is located in a rocky river bed between two farming plateaus. Mrs Kiros Abraha on the right of the above photo is the Treasurer for the Water and Sanitation and Health Committee (WASHCO). Each well has an elected WASHCO trained to manage the well physically and financially. All members of the WASHCO are fully trained in pump maintenance. By national law, each WASHCO must have at least 50% female membership.
Mrs Kiros explained that before the well was built, villagers spent a lot of time travelling to and waiting at the distant neighbouring Health Clinic. Today clean water has eliminated much of the cost of medicines and the time needed to visit the clinic with problems such as diarrhoea and other water-borne diseases. The wells program also brought an awareness of sanitation issues, and now every household must have a latrine with a bowl of water for handwashing to prevent the spread of disease.
Mrs Kiros has only one child, a son. Her land is just one hada tsimdi (the amount of land a pair of oxen can plough in one day), and when the rains come, Mrs Kiros plants teff, sorghum and millet. As treasurer of the WASHCO, Mrs Kiros collects, records and banks village contributions of Ethiopian Birr 120 (Aust$6) per year from each family for well maintenance (the foot valve on the pump does wear out) and to pay for a guard at the well to ensure it is not overused. Mrs Kiros's sentiments above were echoed at every one of the seven wells we visited.
It is you - our wonderful donors - who bring such hope and joy to our friends in Ethiopia. Please keep helping. There is plenty left to accomplish. Thank you.
Graham Romanes, Honorary Manager and Trustee
Mai Getem well nestled in a rocky river bed. REST technicians are fully trained in the use of explosives to dig wells in these conditions
Mrs Kiros pumping at Mai Getem well and pictured with the other members of the WASHCO. The plaque reminds us that the well was funded by WellWishers Australia in 2017!
The old water source (near to the well). Still used by animals.
Dry and barren landscape next to the well at Mai Gabla. Who would have thought it was possible to find water here?
Graham and Glenyys Romanes at Mai Gabla with WASHCO members and Gidey Zeray, REST Wells Program Manager. For Graham a visit to remind him of a wonderful 33 year partnership with REST and the hand dug wells program. REST estimate that 7000 villages in northern Ethiopia have benefited from the hand dug program well since the Australian initiative in 1985.
Travelling partner and WellWishers supporter Philip Butler trying his hand at pumping in front of the WASHCO at Endahaweria. Were they impressed?
Philip and partner Marilyn recently spent 21 days in Ethiopia. They visited unique historical locations in the north, and spent 10 days reviewing WellWishers water program with Graham and Glenyys.
Phillip comments: "The country has a population of over 100 million people and the complex issue of breaking the poverty cycle is being addressed. The water well program is one tool being used to give people a chance to move forward. We were impressed by the effectiveness and management of the program. This is not just about clean water but also about health, sanitation and giving children enough time in their daily lives to attend school. WellWishers local non-government partner REST is committed, professional and a perfect partner to channel the Well Wishers funds to the local communities. Visiting the villages was a life changing experience. These beautiful people deserve the chance to live a healthy life.”
It's not too late donate to expand our 2018 program!
Our partner The Relief Society of Tigray (REST) is already busy with our 2018 well and sanitation program in each of 40 villages. One of our generous donors has recently donated $100,000 and we will now be able to offer much needed additional support for extra wells. Every additional dollar donated this year will go directly toward more wells. Everywhere we visited people were clearly desperate for more water.
A completion report on our 2017 program is available, and a copy of our 2018 plan is also available. If you would like either or both, please email us at info@wellwishersethiopia.com.
