Together with the religious congregations in Ireland and abroad, Vita Impact is increasing access to clean water for rural communities in East Africa. Last year alone, 235,000 people had access to clean water- an achievement that has resulted in a reduction in waterborne diseases, gives women and girls a gift of time and saves trees.
Say hello to Damenech – clean water has changed her life completely
In Leba Mewucha, a village in Ethiopia’s South Gonder Zone, the theft of critical parts from waterpoints has long been an invisible force deepening the water crisis. The consequences have been especially hard on women like Damenech Shaga—a 37-year-old mother of three—who used to rely on the village’s only waterpoint for clean drinking water.
In 2022, the waterpoint was vandalised. Its head and key parts were stolen, rendering it useless and forcing the community to return to an unsafe water source—a shallow, unprotected well located five kilometres away from Damenech’s home. The cost of repair was far beyond what the community could afford.
For Damenech, that meant walking nearly two hours each day just to fetch water, plus another 90 minutes to collect the firewood needed to boil it. This took from her the time she could have used to engage in paid labour, childcare or even rest.
“When the waterpoint was vandalised, it wasn’t just metal that was taken—it was our health, our time and our peace of mind,” said Damenech. “Suddenly, I had to drag my small children to the old stream nearly every day, when all they wanted was to stay home and play.”
In rural Ethiopia, water collection is predominantly a woman’s task, often requiring long daily treks that rob women and girls of the chance to work, attend school or simply rest. When clean water is inaccessible, girls are more likely to drop out of school to support their mothers in collecting water. Therefore, reinforcing gender inequality.
The stream community previously collected water from
To restore water access and strengthen community resilience, Vita Impact partners with Catholic religious congregations in Ireland and abroad to repair broken waterpoints in Ethiopia and Eritrea.
The Safe Water in Amhara Programme is delivered in partnership with local Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Committees (WASHCOs). The programme trains WASHCOs to, among other roles and responsibilities, oversee the security and maintenance of the waterpoints, manage user fees to fund minor repairs and provide the first line of defence against future vandalism.
Waterpoint covered with wires to avoid theft
In June 2024, Leba Mewucha’s community waterpoint was repaired after meeting the selection criteria. But this time, the community took it further.
Using funds collected from user fees, they hired a local metalworker to reinforce the pump head with steel bars, deterring theft by making dismantling nearly impossible. They have formalised a rotational guard system—enshrined in the village by-laws—to provide around-the-clock monitoring. The area around the waterpoint has also been secured with fencing made of densely planted shrubbery to keep livestock away.
Contaminated water is a major source of diarrhoeal diseases, intestinal infections and waterborne illnesses that disproportionately affect young children. Before the repair, Damenech’s children faced frequent sickness, weakened immunity and missed days at school.
“From the time the waterpoint was repaired, my children no longer get sick from waterborne diseases,” said Damenech. “The kids and I feel more healthier and stronger. I now fetch clean water in minutes and spend more time with my children. Life feels lighter.”
Story and picture credit- Vita Impact