Water Today, Water Tomorrow

Photo by Alemeyehu Abebe for CRS

BURKA, Ethiopia—Medina Dorra is 86 years old, a widow who lives in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. Like most women in rural Ethiopia, she had to collect contaminated water for many years from an unsafe source, the Dobi spring.

Medina and women from the other 22 households in her village walked every day to the spring. Unfortunately, Medina was repeatedly getting sick, and the long journey was not the only danger she faced. The spring, with its rocky sides, was difficult for anyone to reach, and even more treacherous for an 86-year-old woman.

Medina admitted that as she grew older, she felt more vulnerable to waterborne diseases and was always worried about falling down into the spring. Many rural Ethiopian women, especially the elderly and mothers, shared Medina's concerns. They all wanted to see safe, adequate water brought closer to their homes.

Through a CRS-supported water project, Medina and her neighbors now have safe access to clean water. Medina told us that although she once had the chance to drink clean tap water some years ago, she never dreamed she could one day fetch safe drinking water so close to her home.

CRS' local partner in this project is called Team Today and Tomorrow. The project staff helped provide clean, safe water to Medina and her neighbors by developing and improving the Dobi spring. Nowadays, the women of Burka can stand on a steady platform and collect water from taps attached to a water reservoir. The spring, which used to be such a hazard, is now a blessing for the region. Medina was unable to express her happiness in words.

Leku Integrated Watershed Management

For many people in Ethiopia, access to clean water is still a huge problem. In rural Ethiopia, nearly 80 percent of households do not have access to safe and adequate water. In most cases, families, usually the women and children, have to walk for as long as six hours to collect water.

Catholic Relief Services and Team Today and Tomorrow are working hand in hand with communities to provide clean water from safe sources to thousands of poor farmers and their families. A monthly contribution of 10 cents per household covers the cost of operation and maintenance of the water system, plus a caretaker's salary.