A Reason to Celebrate

Six years ago, Lifewater International and our Ethiopian partner, DASSC (the Development and Social Services Commission of the Mekane Yesus Church) initiated a pilot project that was the first of its kind in the country because of its comprehensive approach to all areas of WASH - water, sanitation and hygiene .  It had a particularly strong emphasis on sanitation, including latrine design and construction, and it also stressed the promotion of changes in sanitation behavior.  I was part of the first Lifewater team, and we trained the participants in Transformational Community Development and WASH Promotion.  The initial target of the project was two kebeles (villages) in the Lemu woreda (district).  Due in large part to the great efforts of the DASSC and government community health workers, one of the kebeles was able to declare itself "open defecation free" (ODF) about a year later.  This meant that, not only was there now a latrine for every household, but all of the community was trained in how and why to use it, and agreed to hold each other accountable for the sake of the health of the entire community.  Nearly all of the latrines were built by the community members themselves.  The success in the first kebele inspired the other, and soon the others in the surrounding area.  Kebeles raced for the distinction of becoming ODF.

On June 28, 2013 a celebration ceremony was held in the Lemu woreda in which the entire district was declared ODF!  This means that 130,000 people now have access to and motivation to use latrines.  Is this really such a big deal to inspire such a celebration?  Before the project began, the rate of acute diarrheal diseases in children under age 5 was 45 percent.  Today it is 2 percent - a reduction of over 95 percent! These diseases were the number two killer of children in this age group, higher than AIDS or malaria.  Today they are not even in the top ten!  In other words, literally thousands of children's lives have been saved!

The success of this project is spreading even further.  In the West Arsi zone, one of the areas targeted in the Lifewater/DASSC project for which I made several trips over the past 3 years, our former participants are taking up the challenge.  This effort is spearheaded by two leaders - Teshale, a Christian project leader for DASSC and Shunta, a Muslim government district education officer.  These two men who had so little in common 3 years ago were brought together by that project and now share a common vision and the tools to bring it to life.

But the greatest result of these projects can't be found in statistics.  Instead, it's found in conversations with people in the communities.  That result is hope.  Hope for the survival of their young children.  Hope that their daughters will continue to pursue their education instead of dropping out because of water-hauling duties and lack of sanitation at the schools.  Hope for women to be empowered to have a say in issues related to the health of their families.  And above all, hope in a God that loves them and has answered their prayers for help, that has sent people from another continent to love them and serve them as ambassadors of Jesus Christ.  That is truly something worth celebrating!