Eritrea

Donkey as Water carrier

For the completed Donkey Project in Eritrea from 2002 to 2004, money was provided for the purchase of 600 donkeys and their medicine for worm treatment.
In this regard the foundation is currently involved in Ethiopia and Burkina Faso.
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Background
More frequent and longer dry periods due to global climate changes leave wells to run dry and increase the distances to water sources. Most afflicted are the women and girls who have to travel long distances often for hours a day with heavy canisters, buckets or calabashes on their backs to collect drinking water for their families. That ruins their health and often even not meets the family needs.
In contrast persons who possess a donkey or a camel as water carrier need not longer ruin their health by carrying water and also come home with multiple quantities of water. The water surplus can be sold, divided with neighbours or used for the cultivation of food. The children can attend school instead of gathering water. It is not unusual that the “four leggers” help the families to survive.

Where donkeys are distributed
In Ethiopia, in the region Sire in the province Arsi.
In Burkina Faso, in the province Soum in the north of the country.

Goal
In remote areas, where there are neither wells nor other water sources, and no potable water supply is planned in the near future, the intention is to help the lives of the weakest: “single old people, widows with children and especially poor families” with the distribution of donkeys and camels. Whoever receives a donkey or a camel also gets medicine for the worm treatment of the animals.

Partners
Ethiopia: ORA International Deutschland e.V
Burkina Faso: Freunde Djibos e.V.

Expenses
A donkey in Ethiopia costs 90 Euro, including the water skins.  A donkey in Burkina Faso costs 85 Euro.  A water cart with water barrel costs 300 Euro.

Monitors
Ethiopia: ORA International Deutschland e.V.
Burkina Faso: Frater Jacques Fellmann of the Order White Padres in Djibo

Contact Person
Henner Lang
Phone: +49 (0) 8179/1313
E-Mail: hennerlang@t-online.de

Realization
Burkina Faso: Purchase and distribution are at any time possible with Frater Jacques Fellmannn in Djibo.
Ethiopia: Purchase and distribution are at any time possible. The donkeys are bought at a nearby Sunday market and distributed to families, who possess no donkey still.
A committee registers each new donkey owner.

Eritrea

Drinking Water from Fog in Eritrea

Background and Circumstances
Similar conditions and meteorological realities prevail in Eritrea as in Yemen: High altitudes close to the ocean, where much fog occurs that drifts, but does not fall as rain.  In Yemen the Canadian Non-Governmental Organization “FogQuest” installed large, mesh covered collectors and successfully collected water from fog.  Subsequently, the WaterFoundation contacted the Canadian Non-Governmental Organization FogQuest.
In January 2005 a FogQuest member and the staff of “Haben” an Eritrean Non-Governmental Organization set up small test collectors at five locations in the fog region of Eritrea. The result was promising: On the average 12 litres of drinking water could be "harvested" per square meter of mesh. FogQuest specializes in the installation and use of fog collectors. These collectors have been installed very successfully for years in countries with high fog density but no precipitation.  This occurred predominantly in South America and in Yemen. After the successful evaluation of the feasibility study in Eritrea, 25 large fog collectors were set up there. One fog collector produces approximately 180 litres water per day in the dry winter season.
For more information: www.fogquest.org/Projects

Goal
Every, twenty, 40qm fog nets should provide two schools and the villages Nefasit and Arborobu with drinking water.

Partners
The Canadian NGO FogQuest and the Eritrean  NGO Vision Eritrea

Expenses
Approximately 30,000 Euro are needed for the collectors, the building of water pipelines and water reservoirs.

Monitor
WaterFoundation

Realization
At the beginning of 2007 staff members were several weeks in Eritrea to train and brief the Eritrean colleagues.
The project management, Kerstin Anker and engineers of Vision Eritrea were several days in March 2007 on-site and during this time ZDF (the Second German television channel) interviewed and filmed. The results were broadcasted on “World Water Day” on several German television stations. The final completion of this project will be done by the Vision Eritrea and the involved local villagers.

Contact Person
Kerstin Anker
Phone: +49 (0) 89-29003731
E-Mail: kan@knorr-rechtsanwaelte.de

Eritrea

The World’s First WaterSchool*
in Eritrea

The WaterFoundation together with experts, local authorities, partners and the local community develop a holistic concept for the regional water supply in a manageable area of Eritrea.
This includes the production and supply of water, sewage disposal, water preservation and deforestation. This project emphasizes the cooperation of the population, especially children and students. As a result, the focus of the concept is schools which multiplies the effects.

The WaterSchool a source of information for the population
The Waterschools intend to motivate and give practical examples of sustainable water management and strengthen the ecological awareness of the population. There you will find modern locally adapted irrigation and water conveyance technologies as well as sanitation facilities to inspect and reverse engineer.

Learning for the future
In the WaterSchool the children learn for their future.
Apart from regular class they learn for example, how they can develop the water resources of their homeland and sustainably   preserve it. The curriculum also covers subjects like water supply, water management, erosion control, the conservation of soil, groundwater protection, deforestation, agriculture, irrigation technologies, and health care. In short: everything in order to help the students understand the ecological connections and make the right decisions for their country

Many schools in the country are without water connections and without toilets
The concept is that the schools are provided with water connections and a rainwater reservoir for several months.
A biological sewage plant will clean the waste water. Toilets and showers ensure a modern hygienic standard.

Self catering school garden 
WaterSchools should have their own supply of basic food such as fruits and vegetables to feed themselves. Hence students with their teachers will grow their school garden under professional supervision and with regards to local and ecological requirements. In addition to the self-sufficient garden, one part of the garden will be used to raise settlings for the reforestation of the school environment. The WaterFoundation provides the seeds and necessary tools.

The students are to take active part in creating their country
Due to the practical training, the students are meant to influence the development of their environment and become initiators of measures assuring their country of a good future. For example reforestation: Children who have raised their own trees will protect them, because the trees are theirs and they will have learned that their forests play an important role as water reservoirs.After the successful realization, this concept will serve as a model for further projects in Eritrea and other countries.

* In January 2003 the registration of the word mark WasserSchule was filed with the German Patent and Trademark Office.

Contact Person
Ernst Frost
Phone: +49 (0) 8178/9983418
E-Mail: info@wasserstiftung.de

Ethiopia

Water supply for a School and a Village in Ethiopia

Background and Circumstances
Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries on earth. It is one of three least developed countries with a per capita gross national product of 100 USD. Ethiopia is the most frequently afflicted country by droughts and shows the highest number of drought and famine victims in the comparison period. (e.g. 14 million in 2002/2003). Only about 30 % of the 72 million people in Ethiopia have access to clean potable water. That is low compared with 46 % in the Sub Sahara countries of Africa. The population in the small village Mutulu, in the west Showa district, in the region Oromiya to this day has no access to clean water. People get sick by consuming unclean water. Women and children exert much time and physical stress, in order to collect clean water from a far source. They risk their health and girls are refused school. The consequences are a low productivity rate and lack of education. .An appropriate development for children is not possible and it costs for treatment for physical deterioration. In addition, natural resources in the headwaters are endangered. The extension of the farmland to the watersheds in the mountains causes soil erosion and the water sources are threatened to vanish. A counter measure is essential, in order to protect the watershed against irreversible damages.

Goal
Local sustainable land management practices and drinking water supply for students and families

In detail:

1. the improvement of the health situation by providing clean water for residents
2. ease the work conditions for women and children by reducing the distances to the water sources
3. income improvement by better health conditions and more effective irrigation system
4. reduce the distance to the water so women can spend more time for themselves and their children enable the girls to find the time to attend school
5. preserve the watersheds and establish a sustainable water supply and
6. be an example to other communities.

Partner
Environmentalists Development Association - Ethiopia (EDAE)/Addis Abeba/Ethiopia.

Expenses
The foundation pays about 85% of the projects costs. This is approximately 30,000 Euro.

Monitors
WaterFoundation
Ethiopia: Mr. Fekadu Aleka, Environmentalists Development Association

Contact Person
Henner Lang
Phone: +49 (0) 8179/1313
E-Mail: hennerlang@t-online.de

Realization
Environmentalists Development Association - Ethiopia (EDAE)/Addis Abeba/Ethiopia from January to July. The WaterFoundation will monitor the project. (Dr.H.Hruschka and H.Lang)

Eritrea

Renovation or Construction of
Two New Water Reservoirs in the Refugee Settlement Gemah

Background:
Since the last boundary dispute between Eritrea and Ethiopia, many people, predominantly Muslim refugees have come to Gemah near the Ethiopian border. They know that they can not return to their old homeland villages because of the new demarcation. The drinking water supply could no longer withstand the onslaught of so many humans. The early risers had to stand in line at three o'clock in the morning by a hand pump in order to receive water for their families. In 2004 the WaterFoundation set up a solar-powered water supply for 6000 local people with the help of the Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany. (see Completed projects). Our partner the “Capuchin’s sisters”, contrary to our plan, set up two steel tanks instead of two bricked water reservoirs. The reason was the unstable situation at the border region of Ethiopia. The water supply installation was supposed to be easily collapsible so that it could be quickly transported into a safe area. Today it is certain that the refugees will remain here for the long term. Since the mobile steel tanks were deformed because of the high temperatures, the welded joints began to rust, which is detrimental to the water quality.

Goal
In 2008 we plan to restore the two steel tanks or replace them with brick cisterns so that we can provide a sufficient amount of clean water. To prevent the water from warming up, we intend to plant trees to provide shade.

Partner
"Vision Eritrea"

Expenses
At the present time, we solicit quotations.
Concurrently experts will examine on-site whether the renovation of the steel tanks is wise.
Thereafter the actual costs can be specified.

Monitors
WaterFoundation, Capuchin’s Sisters, "Mother Rubatto" in Eritrea.

Realization
The two steel tanks are to be restored in 2008 or replaced with brick reservoirs.

Contact Person
Ernst Frost
Phone: +49 (0) 8178/998418
E-Mail: wasserstiftung@t-online.de

Ghana

Waterschool in Ghana

Background and Circumstances
In order to improve the educational and economical situation in the villages of Kokrobite and Langma, the Non-Governmental Organization INITIATIVE BOKEMI is building a school in Billerbeck for 150 children. These fishing villages are approximately 30 km away from the capital Accra, direct on the gulf of Guinea´s coast. The population lives predominantly on fishing. The families have a monthly average income of about 60 Euros and must support
 4-5 children. Also the cost of living rose drastically in Ghana. Until now, many children have no access to education, because on one hand they can not afford school materials and school clothes, and on the other hand their manpower is needed in the families.

Parents regard the local opportunity of schooling and training as a big chance to counteract the migration into cities by the young people and to develop future prospects in the villages, for example through the establishment of small handicraft and service businesses. In the long run the "Free Education School" is also to be expanded by a training centre.

An important component in this connection is drinking water. The village Langma to this day still has no drinking water supply. The women and children collect the water daily from about 3km away inshore.They use this water not only for washing purposes, but drink it also. A water pump is planned on the campus to provide the students and the village community with clean drinking water.

Goal
Local sustainable land management practices and drinking water supply for students and families. The extension of the school to a WaterSchool: (water topics in the curriculum, practice in the school garden, formation of “Water Club” – See under Project WaterSchool).

Partner
INITIATIVE BOKEMI in Billerbeck and in Ghana.

Expenses
Approximately 7,000 Euro

Realization
The installation of a well and a cesspit, and sanitation for the school, the school kitchen and the school garden are still intended for 2007.

Contact Person of the WaterFoundation in Ghana
Jacob Nii Amu Ankrah of the INITIATIVE BOKEMI in Accra/Ghana.

Contact Person
Ernst Frost
Phone: +49 (0) 8178/998418
E-Mail: wasserstiftung@t-online.de