SILVER SPRING, Md.--In Niger, where only 60 percent of the rural population has access to potable drinking water, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is working with government and local authorities to increase good health and water access for more than 5,000 people in the western region by installing 20 borehole water wells in villages throughout the southwestern department of Kollo.
"By providing clean water within the community, we will be able to improve their health, lower their childhood mortality, increase their household incomes, and allow them the opportunity to access a better education for their children," said Jason Brooks, country director for ADRA Niger.
As partners, villagers are heavily involved in the project's implementation. They also agree to install a latrine within their communities, which will be used as a model for their own homes. The project will also provide them with training in sanitation education, teaching them about the importance of clean water, how to maintain a clean environment, proper latrine usage, and personal hygiene. ADRA will also facilitate the forming of Community Water Councils, which encourage the maintenance and sustainability of the intervention.
The location of each well will be chosen based on the needs of the targeted population. Priority will be given to communities with more than 250 people per water point, communities where members must travel more than half a mile (1 kilometer) each way to reach a water source, and communities without safe wells.
"If the communities are motivated and willing to work in partnership, and the site is well chosen, the likelihood of success is much higher," added Brooks.
"Although everyone will benefit from this intervention, women and children who are often depended on to carry water for their families will benefit most," Brooks continued. "From a health perspective, children will be the greatest beneficiaries, as they are the most vulnerable to sickness and death caused by contaminated water."
The project is currently scheduled to begin at the end of September. The six-month project, valued at more than $302,000, is funded by private donations, as well as contributions provided by ADRA Finland, ADRA United Kingdom, ADRA Norway, and ADRA Netherlands.
According to the United Nations, 80 percent of illnesses and deaths in the developing world are caused by the lack of clean water. Common water-related diseases include diarrhea, typhoid, hepatitis, cholera, and numerous skin diseases. In addition, in many developing countries, women and girls are responsible for collecting the household water supply, walking an average of three miles (6 kilometers) a day to fetch water for their families. Often, they are forced to walk for several hours a day to meet their families needs, carrying two six-gallon (25 liter) plastic jugs, back and forth from the closest water source.
"Young girls are often kept out of school for the purpose of performing this household task," said Brooks. In addition, the time that it takes to walk to and from the closest water source could be better used performing activities that could generate additional income for the family, or improve their education, he added.
When clean water cannot be attained, residents often resort to using surface water, which may have been contaminated by dirt, foreign objects, or animal and human excrement. When used, this contaminated water can cause sickness and even death, ultimately affecting the financial stability of households, and causing vulnerable families to sink deeper into poverty.
To support ADRA's work around the world, visit www.adra.org or call 1-800-424-2372.
ADRA is a non-governmental organization present in 125 countries providing sustainable community development and disaster relief without regard to political or religious association, age, gender, race or ethnicity.
For more information, visit www.adra.org.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
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