Overview:
This fourth project with our partner will fund new water sources on North Idjwi in Lake Kivu, eastern DRC. Focusing on water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) training together with construction of a water catchment system, this project will provide clean water for 18,709 residents of the Kishenyi locality, benefitting a school for orphans, other social structures such as health centres and local churches/community centres, and the very disadvantaged pygmy communities. Latrines and a handwashing station will also be built for the school. The project complements a government program designed to reduce the morbidity and mortality caused by unclean water and poor, or no, knowledge of WASH in villages and schools.
Why support this:
Our partner has provided clean water to a number of other villages across the island of Idjwi and has an excellent track record. Whilst the need is extremely high across Idjwi, research has identified the neediest villages where disease levels are the highest. The local communities contribute resources and labour towards construction and are given maintenance training. Committees are formed to manage and maintain the infrastructure to ensure long-term sustainability. Everyone comes together at the completion of the project for a celebration event, contributing to a strong sense of ownership.
Budget: $84,833
Funds will be used towards material for the water sources and conducting the training. Each village will contribute towards the cost of the water source by providing stones and sand and helping construct the water source.
The Need:
DRC has one of the highest rates of poverty in the world, with over 70% living on less than $1 a day. Decades of civil unrest has led to limited infrastructure, persistent high levels of internal population displacement and outbreak of epidemics. Idjwi exemplifies this. Most economic activity is in the informal space and subsistence agriculture provides most food. Transport and communications are limited on the island. After malaria, diseases related to drinking unclean water are the biggest health problem on the island.
Expected Life Change:
