Today is an exciting day for our group.  We are headed to the field to visit some water projects, all hand dug wells (HDW) that have just been recently started.  Thus we get to see the projects at the very early stages of work, as the well is being dug.

W2T recently (less than two months ago) released funding to start the construction of 22 water projects (17 HDW’s and 5 Spring Protection Developments) in the Abichu and Gnea districts of Oromia.  This area is north of Addis Ababa (about 3 hours drive) and is in an area the has low access to clean safe water.  These projects are being constructed by our implementing partners Glimmer of Hope (AGOHF) and Oromia Development Association (ODA).  This set of projects are also important because of it the first implementation in our relationship with ODA.

We spent another night in Ambo (2 hours west of Addis) so to have enough time to complete our field visits, we start really early. Our sleepy group pile into the van about 6:30 am and start driving toward Addis.  We meet our hosts from Glimmer and ODA on the north edge of Addis and drive together to the project area.  We take some time in Debre Brihan, near the project area for some coffee and light snacks, as we know we will be in the field all day today.

Our projects are part of a larger Integrated Community Development (ICD) program that Glimmer is implementing for these districts.  It includes not just our water projects, but also a health posts, several new school blocks and some micro-finance assistance for economic development in the area.

We arrive at the first site, serving the village of Daye Adela.  What a wonderful image as we drive up to see about 40 women, men and children from the village all hard at work on their project.  As in all our projects, the local community is expected to contribute to the wells, at least 10% of the total costs. The women and children are gathering local materials, mostly rock and wood, and bringing it to the site. These materials will be used in the construction of the well.  The men are digging and excavating the actual well. They had reached a depth of about 20 feet. The minimum depth of the well is 8 meters (about 25 feet), but they had not yet reached an aquifer with sufficient water, so they are expecting to continue digging several more days. We get to discuss the new project with the community, hearing in their voices the joy and excitement of the promise of clean water to come. ODA has organized the water committee and the community is collecting money already for the maintenance fund and the bank account is open!…..even before the water is a reality. What a joy to participate in this anticipation of great things to come from this community!

Community members gather materials at Daye Adela

Jan and Eleanor help gather stones for the well’s fence

Digging the well at Daye Adela

Our second project stop is at the community of Chitu. Much is the same here, but two thing things were notably different. First there is an open, very contaminated spring nearby that the community has been using to fetch water for their families.  That, of course, will no longer be necessary in a few short weeks. Second, the community digging team is struggling with some hard rock which they must penetrate to reach the aquifer.  No to be deterred, the men swap off at regular 10 minute intervals to provide relief from the back-breaking work of chipping away at the rock.  They too expressed their confidence that they would be through to the aquifer in the next couple of days.

Chipping away at the Chitu well

The current spring at Chitu

Our third project stop is at the community of Tamame. As we are talking with the workers at this site, an older gentleman of the community interrupts and says he has something to say….we turn to hear his comments.  He said over the years many had come and promised water, but nothing had happened. So, this time he didn’t really believe that it would happen either. “I didn’t believe it would be any different”, he said. But when the digging began several ago…”well, this time it may be a reality, and now that I see you here, I know we will be blessed with clean water. God bless you for coming to our community!” It is these special, blessed moments that keep us motivated to be even greater advocates for the blessing to clean safe water for those who have never had it.

Our partners at ODA give us some great news….they think that all 17 of the hand-dug wells in our project set will be completed and in use by the end of June, before the rainy season start in earnest in this area.  Clean water for about 5,000 people is just around the corner.

We start to make our way back to Addis, but on the way, we stop at the new health post that has been implemented by Glimmer/ODA for this community.  The two nurses in our group, Eleanor and Jim get to tour the place and talk personally with one of the two health workers assigned to the post.  The health posts focuses on women pre-natal care and they do many of the deliveries of newborns for area.  They also do health education as well as make some home visitations. Cases with significant complications are referred to the nearest hospital that is about 15 miles away.

Eleanor and Jim talk with a community health worker

Our interaction with the communities today remind us how so little can do so much to transform lives with clean water. And if given a chance, the communities will not only be committed to helping with the construction of the project in a major way, but also be committed to preserving this precious resource for the next generation.

Today is an exciting day for our group.  We are headed to the field to visit some water projects, all hand dug wells (HDW) that have just been recently started.  Thus we get to see the projects at the very early stages of work, as the well is being dug.

W2T recently (less than two months ago) released funding to start the construction of 22 water projects (17 HDW’s and 5 Spring Protection Developments) in the Abichu and Gnea districts of Oromia.  This area is north of Addis Ababa (about 3 hours drive) and is in an area the has low access to clean safe water.  These projects are being constructed by our implementing partners Glimmer of Hope (AGOHF) and Oromia Development Association (ODA).  This set of projects are also important because of it the first implementation in our relationship with ODA.

We spent another night in Ambo (2 hours west of Addis) so to have enough time to complete our field visits, we start really early. Our sleepy group pile into the van about 6:30 am and start driving toward Addis.  We meet our hosts from Glimmer and ODA on the north edge of Addis and drive together to the project area.  We take some time in Debre Brihan, near the project area for some coffee and light snacks, as we know we will be in the field all day today.

Our projects are part of a larger Integrated Community Development (ICD) program that Glimmer is implementing for these districts.  It includes not just our water projects, but also a health posts, several new school blocks and some micro-finance assistance for economic development in the area.

We arrive at the first site, serving the village of Daye Adela.  What a wonderful image as we drive up to see about 40 women, men and children from the village all hard at work on their project.  As in all our projects, the local community is expected to contribute to the wells, at least 10% of the total costs. The women and children are gathering local materials, mostly rock and wood, and bringing it to the site. These materials will be used in the construction of the well.  The men are digging and excavating the actual well. They had reached a depth of about 20 feet. The minimum depth of the well is 8 meters (about 25 feet), but they had not yet reached an aquifer with sufficient water, so they are expecting to continue digging several more days. We get to discuss the new project with the community, hearing in their voices the joy and excitement of the promise of clean water to come. ODA has organized the water committee and the community is collecting money already for the maintenance fund and the bank account is open!…..even before the water is a reality. What a joy to participate in this anticipation of great things to come from this community!

Community members gather materials at Daye Adela

Jan and Eleanor help gather stones for the well’s fence

Digging the well at Daye Adela

Our second project stop is at the community of Chitu. Much is the same here, but two thing things were notably different. First there is an open, very contaminated spring nearby that the community has been using to fetch water for their families.  That, of course, will no longer be necessary in a few short weeks. Second, the community digging team is struggling with some hard rock which they must penetrate to reach the aquifer.  No to be deterred, the men swap off at regular 10 minute intervals to provide relief from the back-breaking work of chipping away at the rock.  They too expressed their confidence that they would be through to the aquifer in the next couple of days.

Chipping away at the Chitu well

The current spring at Chitu

Our third project stop is at the community of Tamame. As we are talking with the workers at this site, an older gentleman of the community interrupts and says he has something to say….we turn to hear his comments.  He said over the years many had come and promised water, but nothing had happened. So, this time he didn’t really believe that it would happen either. “I didn’t believe it would be any different”, he said. But when the digging began several ago…”well, this time it may be a reality, and now that I see you here, I know we will be blessed with clean water. God bless you for coming to our community!” It is these special, blessed moments that keep us motivated to be even greater advocates for the blessing to clean safe water for those who have never had it.

Our partners at ODA give us some great news….they think that all 17 of the hand-dug wells in our project set will be completed and in use by the end of June, before the rainy season start in earnest in this area.  Clean water for about 5,000 people is just around the corner.

We start to make our way back to Addis, but on the way, we stop at the new health post that has been implemented by Glimmer/ODA for this community.  The two nurses in our group, Eleanor and Jim get to tour the place and talk personally with one of the two health workers assigned to the post.  The health posts focuses on women pre-natal care and they do many of the deliveries of newborns for area.  They also do health education as well as make some home visitations. Cases with significant complications are referred to the nearest hospital that is about 15 miles away.

Eleanor and Jim talk with a community health worker

Our interaction with the communities today remind us how so little can do so much to transform lives with clean water. And if given a chance, the communities will not only be committed to helping with the construction of the project in a major way, but also be committed to preserving this precious resource for the next generation.