RWF 500 Million project constructed water infrastructure to 57,000 households

By Jean Claude KUBWIMANA..

Over 57,000 households from Nyanza district in the Southern Proviunce were given pure water through a five-year project in a bid to help them boost their welfare and hygiene and sanitation.

This projct was initiated by a USAID funded Gikuriro project and implemented by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in partnership with the Netjerland Development Organization, SNV and Association Francois-Xavier Bagnoud, FXB.

The total investment in this project is over RWFR 500 Million.

The water infrastructure facilities were supplemented by hand washing facility constructions at some healthcenters in Nyanza district.

Alemayehu Gebremariam, the national coordinator of this projectexplained that they started the project in 2016, which comes to an end in 2020.

Some of the key achievements include water distribution to 57,408 households in Nyanza district, gathering citizens from 420 villages in saving groups, helping to construct latrines for health commitees where beneficiariues were given 5186 iron sheets, construction of 16 water houses and 40 water taps.

“We managed to build water infrastructures by partnering with 420 saving and credit groups from all the villages of nyanza district. We also taught them about best practices of Hygiene and sanitation.” He said.

Some of citizens from Mukingo sector in Nyanza district told IGIHE that they were challenged to go in the marshland to look for water.

Eugenie Uwamahoro, one of the beneficiaries said: “We used to hardly go in the marshland to fetch stagnant water, a child could go at 6:00 am and come back at 11:00 am because of the queue and low density of water,” she said.

Jean Paul Nsabimana, another citizen said that the new coinstructed water facilities will help them to curb some hygiene-related diseases.

“A serious problem we had had is that the water from the marshlands could contaminate us the stomch worms and other poor-hygiene related diseases. We are happy for the water facilities we have got and for sure it comes on the real time.”  Nsabimana noted.

Erasme Ntazinda, the mayor of Nyanza district said that Gikuriro project helped the district to fast track the welbeing aswell as the mindset of residents.

“We had 86 percent of citizens who access to pure water in around 340,000 people. The increase of 57,000 citizens who received water infrastructure facility is an added value and what is the most important thing is that the project helped to change their mindset in terms of hygiene and sanitation.” He said.