ETHIOPIA

OUR PARTNER COMMUNITIES

We want to introduce you to our partner communities in Ethiopia where 100% of your donations go to transform lives forever. At Run for Water, our development work is centred on how we can help our partner communities become their own champions of development. Here’s how we do that. 

 

  • EMPOWERMENT

  • INDIGENOUS

  • SUSTAINABILITY

    The power of clean water. Having accessible clean water frees up girls and women to pursue their education and income generating activities. Clean water also means more productivity as less people are sick/dying because of water-borne diseases. 

    During the project, we also provide leadership training and entrepreneurial skills transfers such as long term financial planning. Our Ethiopian staff spends three years with each community doing capacity building and knowledge transfer. 

    Our development work on the ground is led by Ethiopians. Indigenous knowledge and expertise is invaluable when it comes to ensuring our work appropriately and effectively meets each community’s needs. Staff who work with our partner communities are from the respective region, speak the ethnic language and understand local development barriers and priorities.

    Clean water is just the beginning. We work in the most marginalized and remote communities in Ethiopia, but they have shown us, year after year, they are one of the most resilient, innovative and resourceful group of people.  

    By using an appropriate level of technology for our projects and by requiring each partner community to raise 10% of the total project cost, we are able to foster their sense of ownership of the project and their commitment to ensure its lasting impact. These skills and values ripple into their other spheres of life and they continue to mobilize themselves and thrive independently today.

    At Run for Water, we give hand-ups, not hand-outs. 

    TRACE YOUR IMPACT

    (SECTION IN CONSTRUCTION)

    Play with this interactive map to see where all of our partner communities over the years are located. Click on each location to get more information on the project.

    At Run for Water, you don’t give to a black hole. You partner with a specific community. 

    Map of Ethiopia
    Clean Water Projects

    Partner Communities

    2019

    Bekyye

    Bekyye is located in the Harana Buluk area of Oromia.Their current population is 2,200 individuals and they have no access to clean water. They are currently using the water from river and ponds for cooking, cleaning, drinking and animal care.

    In 2019, we will be developing a spring which will be the new source of clean water for Bekyye.

    2019

    WARABA

    In Waraba, there are 280 households with a total population of 2175 (1150 male and 1025 female).

    The community is currently using a local river as the primary water source for drinking, cleaning, taking care of animals and cooking. This water source has led to chronic waterborne diseases. 

    In 2019,  a clean water source will be constructed with a 4km pipe bringing clean water into the centre of the community. 

    GPS Coordinates: 5.16521, 40.90183

    2019 (CALGARY R4W)

    ZENESHKA

    Located in the district of Alaje in the Tigray region, 1024 people call Zeneshka home. Currently, only 54.5% of school age children are enrolled in the local school. Of those in school, more than 50 students became ill with waterborne diseases this past year. Calgary Run for Water is partnering with Zeneshka to bring them clean water and quality primary education this year. 

    GPS Coordinates: 12.893182, 39.306034

    2019

    Meda-Atsela

    The current population is 291 households, with 2,616 individuals. The net enrolment rate in school is very low at 22%. Currently the community has no classrooms, only two open air classrooms and no library or latrine. There is no potable water in the school and the community is currently using water from the local river and ponds. We will be contsructing a shallow well and a new school with early childhood education building, latrines and a new library. 

    GPS Coordinates: 12.925113,39.539957

    2019

    Adiarbaete

    The community of Adiarbaeate is located in the Tigray region of Ethiopia and is on a very dry land. Girls and women have to walk for hours every day to find the next water source. We are working towards constructing a shallow well within the community for clean water source. 

    2018

    Awash Kolati

    The community of Awash Kolati is located in the Barbare district of Oromia region in Ethiopia. It is approximately 550 km south east of the capital, Addis Ababa. It is one of the coffee growing communities in the district with a large portion of the population living in absolute poverty, making it incredibly challenging for the community to improve quality and access to infrastructure and education.

    For children who are able to go to school, the learning conditions are very challenging. Their classrooms are often made of sticks and mud. Rainy seasons make it worse as flood erodes the classrooms, putting a halt to classes. Due to the poor conditions of the classrooms, they are often under the risk of collapsing or its roof being taken away by the wind.

    Our partnership with Awash Kolati in 2018 brought a combination of infrastructure development, teacher and community member capacity building and training, and provision of supplies. We built a spring water system for the school and community, two blocks of four classrooms, one early childhood education classroom, one library, and two blocks of 8 pit gender-segregated latrines (one each for boys and girls).

    2018 (R4W Calgary)

    Sheni Kondala

    Sheni Kondala is located in the rural Oromia region. This community had high drop out rates with girls at school because of early marriage and the domestic responsibilities girls have to take on such as collecting water from the river every day. 

    Before we constructed water points and a school, our partner agency, Imagine1Day, worked with the community to ensure everyone understood the significance of sending children to school. This work supported the establishment of school girls club which aimed at bringing all girls to school, support each other, discuss and find solutions to problems they may face. The club not only allows girls to come together to share ideas and opinions, but also provides a space for girls to talk about their health and wellbeing. 

    In November 2018, we welcomed clean water with them as well as new school buildings complete with latrines and a library. 

    2018

    Gora Bantu

    The community of Gora Bantu is located in the Barbare district of Oromia region in Ethiopia. It is approximately 525 km south east of the capital, Addis Ababa.

    Their source for drinking water was the nearby river which they used to share with their cattle and other domesticated animals. We visited them in November, 2018 to celebrate the flow of clean water for the first time in their lives. 

    More coming up…

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    Donation Disclaimer:

    100% of your donations go directly to Ethiopia to bring clean water and improved education. All of our overhead cost is covered by a group of generous partners. 
    If this year’s designated project is fully funded, Run for Water reserves the right to use excess funds to build additional water and education projects in other rural communities in Ethiopia. 

    Clean water and a new school built in 2019.

    // Adiarbaete, Tigray, 2019 // We partnered with Lepp Farm Market and 6000+ people in Adiarbaete to build a spring cap clean water system and a new school building complete with a library, an early childhood education room, gender-segregated bathrooms and a playground.

    // Adiagam, Tigray, 2019 // We partnered with 2100+ members of the community of Adiagam to build a spring cap water system and a new school building complete with a library, early childhood education room, gender segregated bathrooms and a playground.

    // Meda Atsela, Tigray, 2019 // 2600+ members of Meda Atsela worked with us to build a clean water system and a new school building equipped with a library, early childhood classroom, gender segregated bathrooms and a playground.

    // Zeneshka, Tigray, 2019 – 2020 // Many international charities have gone to this community to build clean water systems and classrooms. However, there was no community consultation done and all the projects have failed and sitting dormant. We partnered with the community of 1024 people to reverse the damage and disempowerment they felt at the hands of foreign aid. The community of Zeneshka mobilized themselves and raised around 25% of the cost of the total project. We partnered with them by investing the rest of the funding needed to build a spring cap clean water system and a new school complete with a library, an early childhood classroom, gender segregated bathrooms and a playground.

    // Waraba, Oromia, 2019 // We partnered with BitGive Foundation and the 2200 people who call Waraba home to build a spring cap clean water system. This was a pilot project to see how we can use BitCurrency to do good in our world. 2200 people in Waraba are currently drinking clean water for the first time in their lives, and that’s prettyy GOOD! Read more about Waraba by going to our blog webpage. runforwater.ca/blog

    // Bekyye, Hintalo Wejerat district, Oromia, 2019 – 2020 // The Envision Financial Run for Water races, the Run for Water Trail races and the Ride for Water races in 2019 raised funds along with the community of Bekyye to build a spring cap water system (built in 2019) and a new school building (built in 2020).

    // Kondala, Oromia, 2019 // The 2019 Calgary Run for Water raised funds in partnership with the community of Kondala. Just over 5000 people are now drinking clean water from taps in Kondala.

    // Debrewahabit, Tigray, 2019 – 2020 // We partnered with the community of Debrewahabit to build a spring cap clean water system in 2019. This is benefitting the 4000 people who live in Debrewahabit, and up to 8000 people from surrounding communities who have accesss to the taps in the community. We are also working with the community to develop a farm with a successful irrigation system.

    // Adimealsinom, Tigray, 2019 // We partnered with this rural community of Adimealsinom to build a clean water system and a new school building complete with a library, an early childhood education centre, gender segregated bathrooms and a playground.

    // Gora Bantu, Barbare district, Oromia, 2019 // Gora Bantu is one of the coffee growing communities in the district, but despite producing one of the world’s most precious resources, they did not have access to clean water. The 2018 Envision Financial Run for Water races, the Run for Water Trail Races, and the Ride for Water races raised money to support the community of Gora Bantu in the construction of a spring cap water system and a new school building complete with a library, an early childhood education centre, gender segregated bathrooms and a playground. The school is giving service to 1400 school-age children living in the community.

    // Awash Kolati, Bale, Oromia, 2018 // The 2018 Fall Trip participants raised funds along with the people of Awash Kolati to build a spring cap clean water system. Trip participants travelled to Awash Kolati to meet the people they raised funds with and to celebrate this new beginning with the community.

    // Hagaro, Tigray, 2019 // Run for Water partnered with the community of Hagaro to construct a school building. Students were learning in small huts which had dry straws as a roof and rocks as desks. Hagaro is located in a very dry and hot area in rural Tigray; lessons were being given while kids sat under the baking sun. Since 2019, kids now have fully equipped classrooms (grade 1 – 4), an early childhood education centre, a library, gender segregated bathrooms, and a playground! Kids started loving school and the attendance rate skyrocketed!

    // Gereb Abdella, Tigray, 2017 // This community is located in a beautiful valley in rural Tigray. The Fall 2017 trip participants raised money in partnership with the community of Gereb Abdella to build a well and a new school building complete with a library, an early childhood education centre, gender-segregated bathrooms and a playground. The community of Gereb Abdella were empowered to continue raising funds on their own and built a science park a year after we left. They have taken on new projects since then such as community composting programs, training members on growing various veggies in their backyard for a balanced diet, and are the model community on trachoma prevention in the district.
    Copy-paste this link into your web browser to watch the story of the trip participants: https://vimeo.com/214230245

    // Freselam, Tigray, 2017 // In the far north of Ethiopia, just 13 kilometres from the border with Eritrea, lies the community of Freselam. Life in Freselam is tough. The area sits near the military zone of the Ethiopia-Eritrea border dispute. The barren landscape has been hit by droughts for generations. Families drink muddy water from holes dug into the ground which dry up for few months at a time so girls and women spend so much of their lives searching for the next water source. Children that lived here never had a chance at an education.

    We partnered with the community of Freselam to bring clean water and a school building complete with a library, an early childhood education centre, gender-segregated bathrooms, and a playground. This project was in memory of Letisha Reimer. Copy-paste this link into your browser to watch short film about this story: https://vimeo.com/304407071

    //Buluk, Harana Buluk district, Oromia, 2020// The spring cap clean water system is serving over 9000 people in the community of Buluk. We also supported the construction of a school which will be servicing 1500 school-aged children starting n the Fall 2020!

    //Tsigeba, Tigray, 2017 // A passionate community that is defying all odds to deliver an impressive commitment to transforming their community forever.
    Girls and women of Tsigeba have to make a daily trek to get clean water form dirty river which they share with cattle who often defecate in the water. Every morning, it is common to see girls and women carrying yellow jerrycans averaging 50lbs over their backs.

    This means girls barely had time for school & play, and women had no time to pursue other interests such as income generating activities. In 2017, this all changed. Together, we fundraised and built a spring cap clean water system and a school building. This project was supported by the Reimer family who tragically lost their daughter, Letisha, and wanted to honour her passion of expanding access to clean water. Learn more about this story by going to this link: https://vimeo.com/304407071

    //Elibat, Alaje district, Tigray, 2020// 4445 people call Elibat home. We are currently working with Elibat to raise sufficient funds to build a clean water system and community washrooms. Open defecation in this farming community has led to high incidences of trachoma which in addition to the water borne diseases is adversely affecting the health and productivity of the community.

    //Salle, Endamekhoni district, Tigray, 2020// There are 1009 households in Salle who have never had access to clean water in their community. We are currently working with the people of Salle to build a clean water system and washrooms. Open defecation in this farming community has led to high incidences of trachoma which in addition to the water borne diseases is adversely affecting the health and productivity of the community.

    //Michriko, Emba Alaje district, Tigray, 2020// There are 1009 households in Salle who have never had access to clean water in their community. We are currently working with the people of Salle to build a clean water system this year.

    //Fresiweat, Emba Alaje district, Tigray, 2020// The people of Fresiweat are currently drinking water from a nearby dam which is also shared with farm animals. We are currently working with the community to raise sufficient funds to build a clean water system this year.

    //Adiabuna, Hintalo Wejerat district, Tigray, 2020// There is currently no functional water point for this rural community. There are 744 school-age children in the community and they have to walk for hours to find water before or after school. We are currently working with the people of Adiabuna to raise sufficient funds to build a clean water system.

    //Sheni Kondala, Oromia, 2019// Together with the community, we built a spring cap clean water system that directly benefits 2900 people.

    //Adihaye, Tigray, 2018// In partnership with the community, we built a clean water system and supported the constriction of a school building complete with a library, an early childhood education centre, gender segregated washrooms and a playground.

    //Hidri, Tigray, 2016// A group of Run for Water runners raised enough funds to partner with the community of Hidri in the contraction of a spring cap clean water system. This group travelled to Hidri in the fall of 2016 to meet the people they fundraised with and to celebrate this new beginning with them. Copy-paste this into your web browser to watch the story: https://vimeo.com/162391716

    // Welkite, Oromia, 2017 // In partnership with the community, a spring cap water system was built in 2017 directly benefitting 1800 people.

    //Bobiya, Oromia, 2016// In partnership with the community of Bobiya, we funded the construction of a 3.2km long gravity-fassisted pipeline to direct clean water from the nearest town of Caro (we built a spring ca water system here).

    //Caro, Oromia, 2016// In partnership with the community, we funded a spring cap clean water system benefitting 2200 people in the community. This spring cap feeds clean water to pipelines that travel to the community of Bobiya.

    //Oda, Oromia, 2017 – 2018// We worked with the community to build 2 spring cap water systems and 2 wells over two years.

    //Gamane, Oromia, 2018// In Gamane, in partnership with the community, we constructed 5 wells and 1 spring cap water system in 2018.

    //Gallo Janja, Oromia, 2018// In partnership with the communities in this area, we built 3 wells in 2018.

    //Nano Sanbata, Oromia, 2018// In partnership with the communities in this area, we built 4 clean water wells in 2018.

    //Fayine, Oromia, 2017// In partnership with the communities in this area, we built 2 wells here.

    //Wawa Kura, Oromia, 2018// In partnership with the communities in this area, we built 5 wells here.

    //Haro Gudina, Oromia, 2017// Together with the communities of Haro Gudina, we built a spring cap clean water system.

    //Dengali, Oromia, 2017-2018// Together with the communities in Dengali, we built 2 spring caps and 2 wells over 2 years.

    //Gallo, Oromia, 2015 -2018// 3 clean water wells built over three years.

    //Gewada, Southern Nations and Nationalities, 2009// A spring cap system.

    //Yella, Southern Nations and Nationalities, 2014// A spring cap system.

    //Konso, Southern Nations and Nationalities, 2011// Spring cap clean water system.

    //Gidole, Southern Nations and Nationalities, 2011// Spring cap clean water system.

    //Gezeso, Southern Nations and Nationalities, 2014// Spring cap clean water system

    //Shara, Southern Nations and Nationalities// Spring cap clean water system

    //Derashe, Southern Nations and Nationalities// Spring cap clean water system

    //Shura, Oromia// Spring cap clean water system

    //Birbirsa, Oromia// Spring cap clean water system

    //Melka Amana, Oromia, 2018-2019// We partnered with Global Tapp Filters to outfit 200 households with water filters that last for 5 years.

    //Simret, Tigray, 2019// Together with the Simret community, we built a spring cap clean water system which supplies clean water to over 5000 people.