Clean Water in Africa - an essential source of life
People in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa face a perennial problem in securing a good supply of clean water. PWRDF confronts this by working with 6 local partners in 3 countries: Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique. The task of gathering water: walking to a water point, be it a well, a spring or a stream, filling a container and then carrying the heavy burden back home falls to women and children for the most part. It is not uncommon for women to have to walk for hours and many kilometres to get water. This is exhausting and means time spent on gathering water cannot be spent on other activities. Children often are forced to miss school because they are helping their mothers get water.
Clean water is essential for many things -- cooking, washing and drinking are only three. For human beings water is a necessity for health and hygiene. Typhoid, diarrhoea and cholera are typical water-borne diseases. As for HIV/AIDS proper hygiene is important in protecting against HIV/AIDS both at home and in medical facilities.
Water Projects in Africa
Water kettle in Kimathi, Mt.Kenya Region
PWRDF
Water for 100 Families
In Kenya, PWRDF works with two clusters of Anglican dioceses. The Christian Community Services are the development offices for these clusters of dioceses. In Mt. Kenya Region the CCS staff and villagers in the Kimathi area work together to dig wells and sanitize/rehabilitate springs. In the communities involved the average time for the daily gathering of water has been reduced from 3 hours to 45 minutes.
Access to water creates important "spin off". One village, which now has an improved water source, has started a tree nursery near the spring. Another village has planted napier grass, an important fodder crop for dairy cattle. The trees and grass are sold to provide funds for the maintenance of the water sources.
In Kiwakaria a good spring was always being muddied and polluted; but the water technician, with a water committee of 8 women and 4 men have built a system where the water filters through gravel, charcoal and sand and is then held in a concrete and stone reservoir or "kettle" providing water to one hundred families.
In Mount Kenya East PWRDF funds go to support CCS staff and villagers of the Maua area. In the past year alone several water projects have been initiated. Water pipes have been laid to bring water from two springs. A pump is being installed on one of these to bring water to villagers living uphill. Two springs have been cleaned and protected and draw pipes installed to make filling containers easier and more efficient. Four water storage tanks have been installed. These tanks catch rain run off from roofs. These storage tanks will be used as demonstration sites in order to educate and interest other villages. Here too convenient, dependable sources of water are allowing the construction of tree nurseries. Increased vegetable production is another bonus from the water.
