Fighting for change

Akeza walking to Korkora's old water source.

Credit: WaterAid / Caroline Irby

"Before we used two different water sources. One was a spring, and the other was much further away where we used to have to go when the spring dried up.

"We used to have to walk for an hour to get to the source and then we often had to queue for four or five hours until it was our turn to collect water.

"As it wasn't protected people and livestock both used to use it for washing and drinking, but it was polluted and very muddy around the edges where people and cattle walked."

This is how Akeza Hadish, the head of the woman's association in Korkora, a village tucked away in the Tigray mountains of Ethiopia, described life before the new water project brought changes to her village. "Now the water is pure. The animals don't defecate in it and we don't have to queue up at all."

Set in a landscape of stunning rock formations, and beautiful scenery Korkora looks a long way from the famine-raged images that are often the only pictures shown of Ethiopia. But life in this region is hard and a third of Korkora's population was lost or moved away during the 1984 famine. The majority of people still live by subsistence farming on land that is ravaged by droughts.

Akeza at the new waterpoint.

Credit: WaterAid / Caroline Irby

But since working with WaterAid's partner, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, things have improved for the villagers here.

They have a gravity flow water scheme that taps a source in the mountains and provides water to 1255 people and 750 livestock through two water points and one cattle trough. The scheme is now managed by the community and hygiene and sanitation work is ongoing.

Akeza continues "The children all used to suffer with fever, rashes, diarrhea and, skin diseases. We don't have these diseases now - we have seen a radical change here.

"We used to only collect one jerry can of water a day because it took so long to collect. Now we can use up to five jerry cans in a day if we need to and this has brought so many changes. Before we couldn't even wash our children once a month but now we can wash them every day.

"I also advise the children to wash their hands and faces three times a day and to wash their clothes. I can wash our utensils and the house as well.

"Now that I don't spend four or five hours collecting water we can just collect our water and then go to work. We have more time for our household chores and for other work. I can make coffee and prepare breakfast and then sit down and have both before I clean the compound.

"I can also spend more time with the women's group - we helped on this project. When there was a drought here we spent so much time walking to collect water. The queues were so long that we'd often have to wait for more that five hours for our turn. Now, if drought comes again we will fight it.

"We are caring for and maintaining the environment and the soil. We are growing salad, tomatoes and other food in our gardens. Now with more water and with more time we can cultivate this food and we can fight!"