According to a 2017 Unicef-OMS report, more than 2 billion people have no drinking water in their homes; 263 million of which have to walk at
least 30 minutes to reach the nearest clean water source, while 159 million must drink untreated water from a local lake or stream.
Rukanda hill in Bururi (Burundi) is located in a not easily accessible area that consists of 28 hills and can only be reached through one single paved road. The road is impassable during
the rainy season, which basically cuts its 8,000 inhabitants off. Agricultural
production is low and not diversified. Food scarcity is a reality and as a consequence a high number of children are malnourished. The closest medical centre is 5 Km away and is accessible only by foot.
Drinking water could help break this downward spiral.
Today, Rukanda’s families must walk for 3 kilometres to reach the closest source of drinking water, with direct consequences for their health and hygiene.
Planned activities:
Channelling water from two high altitude springs and the construction of a 23.3 Km long drinking water supply system (aqueduct). The aqueduct will bring drinking water directly to Rukanda where the population will be able to collect water from 32 distribution points;
Construction, and training for their use, of 20 ecological toilets, protecting groundwater, and allowing the use of organic waste as fertiliser for agriculture;
Organisation of 32 water management committees composed of direct beneficiaries for the maintenance of constructed infrastructures;
Training activities on basic hygiene and prevention of major diseases;
Supporting economic activities through microcredit.