Looking Ahead

Our plans for 2020…

2020 has been flying by! We can’t believe it is March already, and UK Coffee Week 2020 is less than two months away.

Left to right – Temesgen Andualem, 6, Linger Chekol, 4, Abayneh Minlargih, 8, Dege Minlargih, 10 and Shimelash Chekol, 9, enjoy clean water in their village. Dinjin, Gulim Dinjin ward, Burie Zuria district, Amhara.

Credit: WaterAid/ [Behailu Shiferaw]

UK Coffee Week funds raised since 2018 allowed Project Waterfall to support an ongoing WaterAid project in the Amhara region of Ethiopia, which brought clean water and new gender segregated toilet blocks to three kebeles (neighbourhoods) including two schools and two health facilities. The project also increased knowledge, skills, and awareness on hygiene behaviours for more than 1,500 people through hygiene behaviour change promotion activities.

Our plans for supporting future clean water and sanitation projects are constantly evolving. With UK Coffee Week 2020 rapidly approaching in April, we are excited to share that the money raised this year will support ongoing and upcoming work that our delivery partners, WaterAid, are doing in the region. Over the next six months, WaterAid will continue to support the area by constructing water supply systems which includes the building of water points, reservoirs, generator houses, improved pit latrines and collection chambers. Supply and installation of electro-mechanical equipment, pipes and fittings will be completed. One school water point and six public water points to more than 5,000 new people will be added, giving access to a safe and reliable water supply. A new water supply system will be constructed for the Mankussa Abdogoma community. Furthermore, WaterAid will train a management team for the new system and conduct assessments on sanitation supply and demand analysis.

To achieve project sustainability, future work will continue to be tailored toward these specific communities in Amhara. Formative assessment and research will be conducted to identify hygiene behaviour change determinants and context-specific hygiene messages will be developed accordingly. The ABCDE (Assess, Build, Create, Deliver, and Evaluate) will be implemented to educational intervention efforts to ensure long term success. Additionally, WaterAid will strengthen the management board for Woyinma district water supply system.

We are excited to continue supporting sustainable, education-based clean water projects with WaterAid and other delivery partners this year. Your support of UK Coffee Week really does create change for those who are the backbone of the worldwide coffee industry.

Tirunesh Alemu, employed by Yiraber Health Centre to fetch 40 litres of water per day, collecting water from the nearest water source 15-minutes walk away, Jabi Tehnan, West Gojjam, Ethiopia.

Credit: WaterAid/ [Genaye Eshetu]