WaterAid’s initiative From Taps to Policy
Tackling the core challenges of access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) is no one man show. What ought to be a basic human right is a far-fetched reality for so many communities in Ethiopia. The 2023 Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) report indicates that in Ethiopia only 56% of the population has access to clean water, while just 10% have basic sanitation and 6% hygiene services.
Despite the progress attained over the years, Ethiopia continues to face a critical gap in WASH service delivery. Poor WASH management systems, lack of appropriate technologies, limited technical capacity, and rising climate impacts continue to worsen the provision as well as sustainability of WASH services. The country faces a 55% funding gap in the sector requiring US$2.2 billion annually to meet Sustainable Development Goal 6 by 2030.
Established in 1981 and operational in Ethiopia since 1983, WaterAid Ethiopia has been one of the international Non-Government Organizations working towards ending the water, sanitation and hygiene crisis in the country. The organization has so far reached more than six million people in the country with WASH services.
Building on the gains and excellences, the Country Programme, has chosen two priorities for the strategy period of 2023-2028.
- Achieving universal, sustainable WASH services in targeted geographic areas and strengthening communities’ resilience to climate change to influence wider change
- Strengthen the resilience of WASH to climate change
For effective achievement of these priorities/aims, WaterAid Ethiopia employs system strengthening as a core approach with five key aspects that cut across the Aims: service delivery and capacity strengthening, influencing, partnership and alliances, gender equality and social inclusion, and evidence, learning and innovation. The organization also uses evidence from projects to inform national policy discussions and influence broader sector reforms.
Our Presence in the Amhara Region
The Amhara Regional State of Ethiopia is no exception in facing the dire challenges of access to WASH services and climate impacts. WaterAid Ethiopia maintains a strong presence in the region, implementing several rural and urban WASH projects for decades. Among WaterAid’s notable interventions:
- The WASH for small scale coffee producing farmers project, aimed at improving the lives of small-scale coffee growers in Jabi Tehnan Woreda, was funded by the Allegra Foundation and OKF. The project has improved access to WASH services for more than 32,000 people while also incorporating climate resilience into WASH systems.
- With the funding obtained from Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, WaterAid Ethiopia in partnership with Millennium Water Alliance (MWA), has also implemented the project ‘Sustainable Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Program’ (SWP) from 2019 to 2024 in North Mecha, Dera, and Farta Woredas.
“I don’t have children to help me with fetching water, and having a tap water means the world to me and I am beyond grateful.”
Worknesh Gebre Yohannes
Resident of Ambo Mesk
The country Programme has intensified its efforts to strengthen climate-resilient WASH services across the region.
WaterAid recently completed a watershed management project in Kurt Bahir Kebele of North Mecha Woreda. The ‘Implement watershed management and restoration to improve water supply and livelihoods in a degraded watershed in the Tana sub-basin, project was funded by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation through Millenium Water Alliance (MWA) and the World Resources Institute (WRI).
The project rehabilitated degraded land in the kebele, restored water sources, and improved local livelihoods through natural-resource conservation and community engagement.
“You can see a very vivid and big change in the land, the environment feels refreshing and in the downstream areas, wetlands have reemerged, and the community are now accessing surface water.”
Molla Arega
Farmer/Chair of Watershed Committee
From Taps to Policy
WaterAid Ethiopia is currently implementing a new project titled “From Taps to Policy: A Multifaceted Approach for Sustainable Water Service Delivery” in North Mecha and South Achefer woredas. The project aims to strengthen the resilience of community water supply systems against climate impacts through infrastructure enhancements, water quality monitoring, stakeholder capacity building, and greater inclusion of women and youth in leadership roles in water schemes management. The project seeks to improve national policies, prioritize WASH investment, and promote system-wide approaches for sustainable water management through evidence-based advocacy.
‘From Taps to Policy’ aligns closely with the government’s safe water strategy, which focuses on community ownership, capacity building, and sustainable water management practices. Using a system change approach to increase access to WASH services, the project promotes sustainable water management by strengthening climate resilience, mainstreaming climate resilient water safety planning and inclusivity across communities, in due course informing policies for dedicated financing.
Targeted utilities were provided with training on Water Safety Plan (WSP) development, climate smart agriculture to boost productivity, climate change resilience and adaptation mechanisms, and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
As part of the project’s goal, WaterAid has also supported the formation of a Women’s Solidarity Group in both woredas, equipping them with all the necessary skills and resources to take leadership roles in planning, oversight, and maintenance of community water services.
Tirualem Agumas, 23, is a resident of Lalibela Kebele, South Achefer Woreda and a Facilitator of the Women’s Solidarity Group and WASH Committee. She has been serving as an Operator for the last 3 years.
“I was selected to lead the Women’s Solidarity Group by the WaterAid Ethiopia based on the selection criteria in my kebele. We took trainings on gender and social inclusion, waste management, safe water collection, storage and latrine management. After these trainings, we were able to explore what challenges us as women to take a meaningful part in WASH management and later we drafted the Women Solidarity Group guideline. Even though breaking the cultural and other barriers is hard, most women are willing to take the chance if the opportunity is provided. I have completed all the 8 sessions, and now I am providing the training to 14 other women in my kebele.”
Tirualem Agumas, facilitator/leader of the Women’s Solidarity Group and WASH Committee
Lalibela Kebele, South Achefer Woreda
Bridging the Finance and Policy Gaps
Ethiopia’s national efforts to integrate climate resilience into WASH and other development initiatives including the Climate Resilient Green Economy Strategy, the National Adaptation Plan (NAP), and the National Determinant Contributors (NDC) underline the country’s commitment to addressing climate shocks. However, WASH financing remains a bottleneck. The Ethiopian WASH Finance Strategy aims to mobilize between US$ 0.5 to 1.27 billion per annum to help close the significant funding gap in the sector.
WaterAid has been playing a critical role in resolving the WASH policy and finance gaps through
- Evidence generation
- Strengthening government capacity in planning, executing and budgeting of CR-WASH initiatives
- Mobilizing local communities
- Actively engaging in national and global advocacy platforms such as the Conference of the Parties (COP), Regional Climate Weeks, One WASH National Program and TESDU Ethiopia
- Maintaining high-level policy engagement, creating media and public awareness and fostering strong sector coordination.
Call for Strategic Collaboration
WaterAid calls for strategic collaboration among government, development partners, and civil society organizations to urge increased financing, sector prioritization, and improved service management to ensure sustainable and climate-resilient WASH services for communities across the country.
WaterAid Ethiopia remains committed to expanding its impact in Amhara, Oromia regions and beyond, with the aim of achieving Universal access to safe and sustainable WASH services in North Mecha and Gimbuchu Woredas to replicate proven models nationwide.
