Ease of access to water is something for which I am very grateful, knowing that this is not the case for many people around the world. In fact, before CWR completed a project with our partner Water First in the Tute Kunche community of Ethiopia, this was not even an option. Ethiopia is one of the world’s poorest countries and has one of the lowest standards of living. Unclean water and poor hygiene are the cause of many diseases and deaths, especially in young children. Residents of this area had to travel extensively just to fill water jugs with unclean, unsafe water.
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Now, though, the 2,300 residents of Tute Kunche have drastically changed lives. With community members providing labor, seven miles of pipeline trenches were dug and almost nine miles of road were completed. Eleven public water points and a large storage tank were also built, and community members provided the necessary materials – sand, gravel, rocks, and logs. After this, access to clean water was increased from 0% to 100%, and the effort required to obtain water on a daily basis was reduced by an average of 80 minutes per household!
Below is a video of hard working people from the community digging trenches. Even when hard at work, they continue singing and praising!
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We are so thankful for these dramatic improvements in the lives of those living in Tute Kunche, and for our partnership with Water First. WF may sound familiar to you – that is because we have done a number of projects with them in the past. In fact, while this project in Tute Kunche has been completed, we just began a similar project with Water First in another Ethiopian community called Gonbisa Kussaye. The need there is also great!
So as you walk to your kitchen sink to fill your water bottle with cold water during this very warm season, join me in praying for those who do not have this luxury.
