Water source of life: A case study of a water and sanitation project in Uvira Case Study Click on the following links for further information about this case study: Teacher's Notes Student Activities Introduction Access to clean water and efficient sanitation is a basic human right and essential in the development of a sustainable community. Unsafe drinking water is the world's number one killer and responsible for more than 80% of all sickness in the world. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that in developing countries 1.5 billion people lack access to safe water and sanitation. This results in the deaths of more than four million children annually from preventable diseases such as diarrhoea. Project background In 1996, armed conflict forced the withdrawal of Australian Red Cross (ARC) from Uvira, a province of South Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire). Prior to this, ARC had spent several years developing a water and sanitation system. Despite the armed conflict, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) continued with the project because of the desperate needs of the population. In 1997 ARC returned to conduct a needs analysis of the inhabitants of Uvira. Most of the population of around 120,000 did not have access to safe water and sanitation. This was due to a prolonged drought and damage to the existing water and sanitation system caused during the armed conflict. To address these needs, ARC successfully applied to the Australian Government's overseas aid program to continue work on the construction and repair of water wells. In August 1997, stability had returned to the area, and with a budget of $557, 000, ARC delegates were able to return to Uvira. In Australia a national public campaign, "Water for Life" added to these funds and provided wells in many parts of the world. Community impact Lack of access to clean water and sanitation in Uvira, and the use of contaminated water caused high mortality rates from cholera, typhoid, diarrhoea, stomach worms and giardiasis. Contamination often affected food supply resulting in malnutrition. Social and economic development were also affected. Collection of fresh water created a huge amount of work for the women and children who had to walk up to 15 kilometres daily for water. This left little time for education, agricultural and industrial development. Community services such as new hospitals and schools required a dependable water and sanitation system. Mikiesse is a 7 year old from Kivu. Each day he has to walk 7 kilometres to a spring catchment for safe water before carrying it back home. The alternative is a stream 250 metres from the door of his family's grass hut. It is heavily polluted and anyone who drinks the water is risking life-threatening diseases like: cholera, typhoid, bilharzia and belly worms. The role of Red Cross in aid provision Red Cross is a neutral and impartial international humanitarian organisation, committed to alleviating human suffering. Red Cross works primarily in disaster relief and armed conflict situations. This includes promoting long-term health of the world's most vulnerable people. Strategies for the delivery of aid by the Red Cross are guided by "The Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and NGOs in Disaster Relief" (1994). Sanctioned by the United Nations, and signed by the world's leading aid agencies, it is not legally binding upon NGOs or governments. However, it represents attempts by the international community to develop some uniform standards and strategies for providing relief. The Code states that aid is to be given impartially to people in the greatest need regardless of race, religion or nationality. Agencies must consider the recipients' culture and customs and seek sustainable solutions, which build local capacities. It states that communities receiving aid must be involved in the management of relief and that this should involve relevant United Nations agencies. Aid should reduce future vulnerabilities to disaster and meet immediate needs. The minimum levels of aid to be provided (i.e. water, sanitation, shelter, food, medicine etc.) are specified in the Sphere Project (1997). This is an attempt by aid agencies to work more cohesively and consistently in providing an acceptable level of aid. The Kivu project In 1997 ARC sent a team of delegates with skills in engineering, water and sanitation and community health nursing to Uvira with the aim of improving water supply and sanitation for the population. This was to be done by: construction of 100 new shallow wells with hand pumps; rehabilitation and protection of spring water catchments; and community-based health education focusing on water and sanitation. By June 1998, the project in Kivu was on target. In 49 villages with a combined population of 35,849 people, a total of 64 new wells were fully functioning. An additional 60 had been upgraded while another 30 were protected from contamination. Community members prepare to use the completed water well and hand pump.   To ensure the ongoing success and community acceptance of the project, Red Cross used a number of strategies. These included: culturally sensitive community education programs using traditional forms of communication (i.e. street theatre, song and story telling) to entertain and educate; the training of local plumbers to ensure the new water wells are kept in good working order and teaching the community how to repair and protect water wells from contamination; locating wells in strategic locations (i.e. near homes, so children could bring water home and still have time for their education); and planning for the development of a locally controlled community-based water management board. Progress report In August 1998 armed conflict again forced international development assistance to Kivu to be abandoned. Locally based Congolese Red Cross staff remained to try and maintain the project. Red Cross delegates reported that it was very likely that the needs of the vulnerable population in Kivu will become even more acute if the security situation worsens. Due to the continuing armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo the "Water for Life" program is now focused on projects in the Asia-Pacific region, where ARC continues to use its expertise in the development of safe water and sanitation systems. Children at a water distribution point completed by ARC at a Burundi.     Top © Commonwealth of Australia