The government of Ethiopia has launched a model water supply, sanitation and waste management system in Welenchiti Town, Oromia Region in bid to provide sufficient clean drinking water and sanitation facilities in the area.
Dr Negash Wagesho, State Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy confirmed the reports and said said that the Ministry plans to achieve clean water supply coverage at rural, urban and national levels by the end of the second growth and transformation plan.
“The development of adequate, resilient, sustainable and inclusive water supply, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services is a must to ensure sustainable development of the rapidly growing towns to meet the targets set in the SDGs. To this target, the Ministry is working hand in hand with donors, non-governmental organisations and communities,” said Dr Wagesho.
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Welenchiti project
Harriett Baldwin, the UK minister for Africa, said that the Welenchiti project represented the partnership between the UK, UNICEF and regional and federal government delivering improvements to local people’s livelihoods.
The Minister pointed out that the project will provide sufficient clean drinking water and sanitation facilities to the population of the Welenchiti town and surrounding rural areas for the coming 20 years.
“Women and girls no longer have to walk long distances and spend many hours fetching water. Girls can go to school and attend to their schoolwork while mothers have enough time to spend with their children and engage in other productive activities. For communities, a safe and clean environment means fewer disease outbreaks,” said Dr Wagesho.
Phase one of the project which is under ONEWASH Plus programme, will integrate solutions to provide WASH services to more than 48,000 people including more than 22,000 children under the age of 15, residing in the town and its satellite villages.
ONEWASH Plus programme
The ONEWASH Plus programme, funded by the UK through Department for International Development, DFID and by regional governments, is implemented by UNICEF in collaboration with the Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy, regional sector bureaus, and the Water Resource Development Fund. The programme also works with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Urban Development and Construction, and respective Sector Regional Bureaus, as well as town administrations and town water supply and sewerage utilities.
