The majority of people in Semonkong area are without access to safe drinking water. These people, mainly women and girls, have to walk a long distance to collect water from unprotected streams, springs and earth dams. Diarrhoeal diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and dysentery are common within this community, particularly in children under the age of five years.
To address this, Katleho.Moho Association (KMA) constructed gravity-fed water supply systems to provide safe drinking water in three villages. In parallel KMA provided health education on clean water, sanitation and hygiene practices through community gatherings. In addition, formal training workshops on basic leadership skills and managing maintenance and repair of the systems were also held.
Communities provided in-kind contribution to meet unskilled labour needs supporting construction activities throughout the project such as trench digging to lay pipes and stone cutting. Each community also established a fund for future system maintenances and repairs.
Upon completion distances required to carry water were significantly reduced particularly benefitting women and girls. Health centres reported reduced incidences of diarrhoeal disease outbreak. Improved access to water created other livelihood supporting opportunities enabling irrigation for homestead gardening.
Theme linkages
Climate change adaptation
Protection of springs sources and use of pipes throughout the systems reduced contamination from intense rainfall events and soil erosion.
Improved health and wellbeing
Drinking safe water and hygienic practices reduced diarrhoeal diseases outbreaks. Getting water at considerable distance prevented health effects of women carrying heavy loads of water over long distances.
Good governance
Department of Rural Water Supply recorded completed system as government achievement to its water policy.
Contribution to Millenium Development Goals (MDGs)
Target 7c: Reduce by half the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation
Target 4a: Reduce by two thirds the mortality rate among children under five
