Project 20 Infield Update 2/2/20:
Our final day in Ethiopia was spent visiting villages yet served by Lifewater International. Pictured is a young girl from the community, collecting her daily drinking water from an unsafe spring. Millions drink contaminated water that leads to acute diarrhea, among other diseases, and, in some cases, death. But, Lifewater is working hard going village by village to create a safe, clean environment through sanitation, hygiene, and clean water. This is made possible through committed donors who strive to end the global water and sanitation crisis. Let's join together and bring opportunity and hope! Get involved in Project 20 today. #DoGoodGlobally
Project 20 Infield Update 1/31/20: Two months ago, we released Project 20- Well of Hope, asking for your help in sponsoring safe drinking water for the village of Gola Chefe. eMite visited Gola Chefe and celebrated with the locals their new achievement of becoming a Healthy Village. We sang, danced, and laughed a lot marking their milestone! It was a perfect day. Gola Chefe's well provides safe drinking water for over 312 men, women, and children. To some, this is an answer to generations of prayer. For others, it represents a new hope for the future and an end to waterborne diseases. We are very thankful to everyone who has contributed in many ways to Project 20. Stay tuned for our Celebration Video.
Project 20 Infield Update 1/30/20:
On day two, we traveled from Awassa to Bensa and visited Faficha Chailaka school, which has more than 1,000 students per year. Students now have access to a safe water source and sanitary, handicap-accessible restrooms, ensuring their ability to attend class. We also visited Odako A and Odako B Healthy Villages. A village is considered healthy when "90% of the village boasts Healthy Homes. When each household demonstrates that it practices five healthy habits like washing hands and drying dishes safely, it earns a 'Healthy Home' certificate, making their improvements official." Becoming a Healthy Village is a celebration and signifies the significant steps families have made together. #DoGoodGlobally
Project 20 is in partnership with Lifewater International.
Project 20 Infield Update 1/27/20: Today we traveled from Addis Ababa to Awassa, where Lifewater International’s regional offices are located. We were kindly welcomed with "buna" a coffee-making ceremony where you roast, grind and brew coffee beans. Zerihun Hailu, Lifewater's Country Director of Ethiopia, spoke to us about the importance of sustainability and their WASH (water access, sanitation, hygiene) strategy within their well-digging projects. Tomorrow we will begin our field visits starting in Daye, which is South of Awassa. More updates are coming soon! Get involved today in Project 20- Well of Hope by clicking the link here: https://www.emite.org/project-20 #DoGoodGlobally
Project 20 Insight 1/24/20:
"Safe water alone can't prevent water-related illnesses; a complete WASH (water access, sanitation, hygiene) strategy is critical for creating lasting change. Simple things like having a handwashing station can cut down the risk of water-related illnesses for every child." Lifewater
When you give to Project 20- Well of Hope, you're not only giving clean water to the village of Gola Chefe, but also education on how to best prevent diseases and create healthy households. Get involved today and bring freshwater and fresh hope to 312+ people! #DoGoodGlobally
Project 20 Update 1/14/20:
Exciting update! The drill team struck water and has cased the well in Gola Chefe! The water quality is clear, and the water yield test came back good. The infield team is now mobilizing materials to pour concrete and install the pump. We are less than 2 weeks away from traveling to Ethiopia with Lifewater to capture our Celebration Video for Project 20- Well of Hope. Will you follow our journey to bring clean water to the village of Gola Chefe? Join us today and #DoGoodGlobally
Life in Gola Chefe: Hana’s Story
The daily visit to the spring is both a source of hope for Hana Dukale and an illustration of her family’s great need.
Hana, her husband Abebe, and their five children live in Gola Chefe village.
Two years ago, Lifewater donors helped construct a safe water point in a village two hours from Abebe’s home. The village allows Abebe and her neighbors to draw from their well once a day, and the young mother treasures the daily visit.
However, the safe water is only used for drinking. For washing, laundry, and all other needs, the family draws from the pond near their home.
Hana and her husband are determined to see their children through primary school; growing up, neither completed 8th grade. The long walk for water means Hana’s children are late for class every week, and they are falling behind their peers.
They have hopes and dreams of their own, and Hana believes safe water will help them accomplish them.
“Our plan as a family is to change our grass roof house to corrugated iron roof, but it’s still impossible because we are exposed to unexpected costs due to unsafe water,” she said.
With safe water, Hana’s family will be able to get safe drinking water steps from their home, bathe without fear, and wash their hands at critical times to avoid the spread of disease.
“When we saw our neighboring village get safe water, I felt encouraged because maybe we too can save the time and cost lost in search of safe water,” she said. “I wish to get safe water in my village.”
You can help Gola Chefe village today. Your gift will provide health training for each household, plus a new, safe water source near their village.
Lasting change means more than just building a well. Local Lifewater staff will work house by house to teach healthy habits and share the love of Christ with everyone. For Gola Chefe, clean water means children can say goodbye to long walks for water.
Source: Lifewater
Project 20 Insight 1/4/19:
Gola Chefe is on its way to becoming a Healthy Village! Over the next few insights, we will walk you through Lifewater's steps in making a village healthy. The first two are Community Led Total Sanitation and Open Defecation Free.
"In Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS), each village goes through exercises that reveal how their current practices are making them sick, such as identifying all the places where feces are contaminating their environment. This important step equips communities to be knowledgeable about their health and willing to make changes."
Communities earn an Open Defecation Free (ODF) certification when every household builds and uses their own restroom. "Each country has their own processes and celebration for ODF villages, and it’s a huge accomplishment towards improved health for everyone."
Gola Chefe has completed both of these steps, moving forward towards lasting community change. Join us today and help provide clean drinking water to the remote village of Gola Chefe. #DoGoodGlobally #GiveYourMite
Source: Lifewater
Project 20 Update 12/19/19:
We have an update on Project 20- Well of Hope. Our partners at Lifewater reached out to their WASH Engineer in the field, and they reported that Gola Chefe has been delayed so far due to poor rain conditions. The community made a bridge over a small stream to divert flow to drain a swampy area. All so that the drill rig can pass. If they drill a successful well, they will need two weeks to finish. Unfortunately, the rainy season has been beyond the staff's memory for how late it has lasted.
We want to be as transparent as possible during this process. The hope is the well will be completed by mid-January just in time for our infield visit. Our partners at Lifewater are working hard to bring clean, safe drinking water to the community of Gola Chefe, and our community of givers is making this well possible! Thank you to everyone who has given their Mite. #GiveYourMite
Project 20 insight 12/10/19:
62 million people lack access to safe water in Ethiopia. A survey found that many women and children walk more than three hours a day to collect water from ponds they share with animals. For Project 20- Well of Hope, together in partnership wtih Lifewater, we’re bring clean water to 312+ people in the rural village of Gola Chefe. This Christmas season bring the gift of hope through clean water!