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Liquid Gold

Water is one of Ethiopia’s most precious resources. Stuck between the irony of facing droughts almost every year and also being home to the source of over 85% of the Nile’s flow, water is an important part of any conversation to do with Ethiopia.

Students from imagine1day’s Laelay Wukro Grade 1-4 Primary School fetching water from the school’s water pump

Between June 2010 and December 2010, imagine1day, supported by Lundin For Africa, drilled for water in the Kilte Awelalo district in Tigray. In the past six months, four new shallow wells were drilled and we were able to implement a spring-extension to provide water to a fifth school.

It’s only been a few months since these projects were completed but when it comes to providing clean, fresh water to a school, the impact is immediate. The imagine1day team checked in with leaders from these five schools to see what impact this investment is making.

“The most significant change we are seeing at our school because of our new well is the development of our income generating activities. Before we could only cultivate cereals but now we will be able to use micro-irrigation to grow fruits and vegetables. We will use the money we make from these crops to provide more chairs, desks, stationary and learning resources for our students.”

- Vice Principal Gebre
Zaena Grade 1-8 Community School

“We used to store our water in a traditional tank which was a hole we had dug in the ground. When we used this water it was very dirty and because it sat still outside for so long it would grow bacteria in it that would make our students sick. Now we have clean, safe water.”

- Principal Gezai
Maituaru Grade 1-4 Community School

Principal Mubyohu of the Abreha Asbeha Grade 1-4 Community School is proud of his school’s water point.

“Before this water point was built our students were walking very long distances to get water. They would be late for class and would be tired so they would have difficulty focusing. Now they are much happier, they have more energy and they are more attentive in class. It has helped our girls as well because when they have their period they have easy access to clean water to wash themselves with.”

- Principal Mubyohu
Abreha Atsbeha Grade 1-8 Community School

“Our students used to get water to drink from the river that is close to our school. People and animals had put their waste in the river so it was very dirty and a number of our students became sick with dysentery. When they were sick they wouldn’t come to school and our dropout rate became very high. Now we have clean water from our water point. At least 25 students who dropped out have returned to school and all of our students are becoming healthier because they have clean water to drink.”

- Principle Aregawi

Mukoat Grade 1-8 Community School

Aweda Grade 1-4 Community School’s Grade 3 Teacher, Grebre-Michelle, and his entire class.

“Before the water point was built our students spent most of their time traveling to get water. Getting water is not an optional part of life and if you have to choose one or the other, school comes second. Now they can do both at once. Two birds, one stone.”

- Grade 3 Teacher Gebre-Michele
Aweda Grade 1-4 Community School

To support imagine1day in providing safe, clean water to a school community in Northern Ethiopia visit: www.imagine1day.org/projects