The prominent non-governmental public partner, Menschen für Menschen Foundation (MfMF), on February 8, inaugurated another in a series of crucial water system projects. The new water system is located in the towns of Lemi and Robit. It cost over half a million euro and will benefit 6,240 people in the two small towns located in Wegidi Wereda, South Wello Zone, Amhara region.
According to a statement that Capital obtained from MfMF, the project consists of supplying electro-mechanical units, drilling a borehole, construction, civil engineering and installing electromechanical works, providing consultancy services, supervising construction and building the capacity of the community. It is expected to function for 30 years. To complete the Lemi-Robite Rural Towns Water Supply Project they had to build 26 water points (23 for public use and 3 for schools), 11.3km of a distribution main, a 3.56km pressure main, 5 showers (two for public use and 3 for schools), four VIP latrines (two for the public and two for schools), and a 200 cubic meter reservoir. All of this cost 576,723 euro. Out of this the total community contribution both in labor and cash was 67,251 euro.
“The project work started on December 31, 2015. This involved drilling a well that now yields 3.7 liters per second. After a deep borehole was drilled, the civil work, construction and installation of the electromechanical unit of the project started on August 26,2016,” the statement explained.
Thanks to this project,water supply, sanitation and hygiene coverage of the Lemi and Robite community has increased from 18.49 to 100 percent. It used to take an hour to fetch water in the towns but now it only takes ten minutes.
“The project has reduced the burden of women and children by supplying piped water closer to their homes and has improved the health of the beneficiary community by providing safe and adequate drinking water, environmental sanitation and hygiene,” MfMF stated.
In addition, the project has also contributed immensely toward achieving national WASH goals and targets set in the National Development Plans, such as the Universal Access Plan (UAP) and the Sustainable Development Goals (MDG) by addressing potable water supply sanitation and hygiene.
The Lemi-Robite Rural Towns Water Supply Project has beenfully funded by German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by Menschen für Menschen Foundation. Previously, the Menschen für Menschen Foundation built five rural town water supply systems, namely: Alge in Ilu Ababora zone, Lemi and Ginager in North Shewa zone, Arekit in Gurage zone and Lemi-Robite in South Wello zone. In addition, Seyo and Makafta rural town projects are also under construction in West Shewa and South Wello zones. The Foundation has also developed 2,369 hand-dug wells and springs in various parts of the country that have benefited 704,200 people.