Bringing clean water to Dorze Bele in southern Ethiopia

In 2015 HOPE UK raised sufficient funds to ensure that more than 5,000 people in Dorze Bele gained access to clean water.

Work on the project started in September after the rainy season in Ethiopia had ended. The building of the new water system took approximately three months but education in health, hygiene and sanitation is still taking place, as a HOPE staff member will continue to live in the community for two-three years to ensure changed behaviours are embedded and that the full benefits of access to clean water are fully realised.  To learn more about how we conduct our projects, read here. 

Like Zazye, Dorze Bele is in southern Ethiopia, but it is comparably even more remote and isolated. Families previously survived on meager crops and working for others. The water that can be found in local rivers, streams, ponds and unprotected springs is hours away on foot and is usually contaminated so women, children and men were often ill with preventable diseases. As a result, most households in Dorze Bele know the pain of losing a child. 

The budget for this particular project was significantly more than previous projects HOPE raised money for because the most expensive size of pipes was required in Dorze Bele due to the topography of the land. In addition, more latrines, wash and water points were required due to the larger population of this village. 

It is for these reasons that HOPE UK is grateful to the large number of donors and volunteer fundraisers that made this project possible.