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Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranked 170th out of 177 countries using the UN’s Human Development Index. While images of rural poverty in the country are common, little attention is paid to the increasing number of people who live in urban slums.
Kechene slum in Addis Ababa is home to nearly 50,000 people and has high levels of poverty, poor housing and illiteracy. Sanitation is a particular problem as just 15% of residents have access to clean drinking water. This leads to the spread of diseases such as cholera, typhoid and childhood diarrhoea – one of the leading causes of child deaths. With good sanitation and consistent access to healthy drinking water these conditions are easily preventable.
Project aims:
- To increase access to water and sanitation facilities by 20% in Kechene
- To enable at least 80% of the community to manage and maintain sanitation and water facilities by the end of the project
- To increase the communities’ knowledge, attitude and practices on personal, family and environmental hygiene and sanitation.
By working in partnership with local authorities we will rehabilitate water sources already in place, ensuring that their water supply is safe. AMREF will also install essential infrastructure such as sanitation kiosks (showers, latrines, water points) with water storage tanks and communal shower units, and set up Water and Sanitation (Watsan) committees to manage these facilities.
Key achievements so far:
- 2 springs have been rehabilitated providing 3,900 people with a safe, clean water supply
- 5 sanitation kiosks and 4 shower units have been installed
- 11 Watsan committees have been set up
- 11, 458 people have been reached through community education, mobilisation and campaign activities
- The Ministry of Health has requested that the model be used in the remaining districts of Kechene and used as a catalyst for authorities, local communities and other NGOs.
- The model has been recognised by local authorities and other NGOs as one of good practice with sustainable outcomes
