Drought affects over 14 million people across Ethiopia and access to safe drinking water in Ethiopia is at critically low levels. Collecting water daily is a backbreaking and time-consuming task, one that often prevents children from attending school and women from going to work. Villagers must rely on traditional water supplies that are frequently unsanitary and expose villagers to parasites. Contaminated water supplies frequently lead to waterborne diseases like cholera and typhoid that claim hundreds of thousands of lives each year.

The Montreal-based humanitarian initiative Kulam, together with Toronto-based Ve’ahavta, and their partner on the ground, JDC, have been working with local water bureaus in Ethiopia to improve sanitation, provide greater access to fresh, drinkable water and combat disease.  Wells are dug close to villages – and close to schools, where possible – so that residents and students can readily obtain safe water throughout the day. Children in the schools and the village residents learn about the connection between their health and the quality of water, and the importance of hand washing and clean water in preventing disease, and the children receive regular doses of deworming medicine. The villagers are involved in the project from start to finish, ensuring that they know how to operate and maintain the pumping equipment so that the well continues to function for the benefit of students and local residents in the future.

Following the success of the past three water projects completed by Kulam in Shumargie, Tikil Dengay, and Fogerie Kura The Friendship Well donated by the Masters School students  will provide safe drinking water – a most basic human need – to the village of Goradera, located in the Gondar Zuria district (woreda).  It will serve approximately 50 households in the village.