Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene Programme – Planning Phase, Benishangul-Gumuz Region

The Ministry of Foreign Affaires supported the Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene Programme – Planning Phase, (WASH-BG) in Ethiopia. The overall objective of the programme was “universal access to improved water source, sanitation and hygiene in Benishangul-Gumuz”.

Verifyable indicators for achieving this objective were:

1. All rural people in Benishangul-Gumuz have maximum distance of 1.5 km to water point,
2. Availability of at least 15 liters a person a day and water quality meeting the national standards; and
3. All rural people in Benishangul-Gumuz have at least the lowest cost latrine that ensures a clean and healthful living environment both at home and in the neighbourhood of users.

The project started with a 15 month long Planning Phase to establish a “sound basis for expansion of the CDF approach in water point development in Benishangul-Gumuz to the extent possible”.

The objectively verifiable indicators for the achievement of the purpose of the Planning Phase were:
• Hydrogeological and geological potential for spring protection and hand digging of wells explored and reported;
• Socio-cultural baseline study completed and culture sensitive community mobilisation approaches developed and piloted;
• Human resources development needs assessed and capacity building pro¬grammes developed;
• Woredas selected for full implementation
• 75 water points completed by end of June 2009 (average 15 water points per pilot woreda per year); and
• Spare part supply institutionalised on a commercial basis.