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WATER PROJECTS
Jun
There are only two different seasons in Rwanda: the rainy season and the dry season. Especially during the dry season, people must walk long distances and fetch every litre of water for cooking, washing and “showering” in cans from the nearest water point. Very few people in rural areas have their own water connection, although a water pipe is often not far away, and a water connection could be installed without any problems. The problem: As is often the case, there is not enough change.
The same happened to Odile’s family, who lived 2 km from the nearest water point, until her personal sponsor offered to finance a water pipe for them from the main road to their house.
Would you like to bring water to a family too? Please contact us ! Our project partner will then take care of a cost estimate and the implementation on site. It would also be possible to purchase a water tank for a single family or an institution such as a school.
Read the report of a board member about our first water project in Rwanda:
In the summer of 2016, we were in the Rutunga sector, which is north of the capital Kigali in a very remote, mountainous area, and visited the Gasabo Primary School there. In 12 classrooms, 896 students are taught in two shifts – morning and afternoon – every day.
During a conversation with the school management, it became clear what the school needed most, and a new project idea arose: „Water tanks for a primary school in Rutunga“! The reason is simple: there is no water connection, and it will hardly be possible in the near future. Every student must bring a water canister to school every day for the water supply, which is particularly difficult for the younger students. Without the students’ water, however, the classrooms and toilets cannot be cleaned and the three cows belonging to the school cannot be watered.
We wanted to achieve the following goals by purchasing 2 large water tanks:
- Permanent water supply by storing rainwater.
- Improvement of the hygienic conditions.
- Relief for the students who no longer have to carry water canisters for miles to school and thereby increase their ability to concentrate and learn.
In Kigali, we immediately obtained information from the company ROTO Ltd. about different options and decided on 2 water tanks of 5,000 litres each, which we wanted to get as soon as we had found a sponsor.
In the following week – before the new school year began – the shelters for the tanks were to be built and a rain gutter attached to the roof of the building. The result, which we only saw with our own eyes six months later, was excellent and shows how effective a close involvement of the local population in decision-making processes can be.
Our special thanks go to the Roswitha and Rolf Birkhahn Foundation, which made the project “two water tanks for the Gasabao Primary School” possible with a special donation of 1,500 €!