Key elements

• Construction and reparation of a number of water points.
• Setting up and supporting local drinking water committees.
• Actions concerning hygiene and sanitation: education in schools, sensitization campaigns, building basic infrastructure.
• Supporting the municipal water associations (régies) (legitimisation, good management, technical capacity, planning, co-ordination, implementing capacity).

Partners

2 local NGO’s of Burundi based in Gitega:

• ODAG (Organisation de Développement de l'Archidiocèse de Gitega): working in the muncipalities of Itaba and Makebuko.
• AVEDEC (Association Villageoise d'Entraide et de Développement Communautaire): working in the zone Mugera of the municipality of Bugendana.

1 international NGO CISV (Italian) based in Bujumbura: the representation and the participation in the policy dialogue at national level, and the reinforcement of regional co-operation in the Great Lakes area.

Target groups

• The rural community in Itaba, Makebuko and Bugendana: 15.000 direct beneficiaries.

• The municipal associations (régies) of Itaba, Makebuko and Bugendana are supported and coached.

Objectives

Improving the livelihoods of the rural population in the province of Gitega through a deminishment of water-borne deseases and a reduction of the efforts women and children bear in fetching drinking water.

Main results

1. The municipal water associations of Itaba, Makebuko en Bugandana are reinforced in their organisation.
2. The average access to drinking water has increased from 47 to 66 % in the three municipalities:
• reparation of 4 water supply systems (based on gravitation) and capturing 60 sources;
• the standard maintenance and reparation by reinforced water associations.
3. The average access to sanitation increases from 46 to 55 % in the three municipalities:
• public education concerning hygiene and sanitation, f.i. in schools;
• the construction of 200 hygienic toilets at public places (schools, markets, commercial centres) supported by promotion campaigns.
4. Municipal consultation allows for a maximum of co-ordination between the participants of the three municipalities:
• support and coaching of the municipalities to start up this co-ordination;
• assistance in setting up an integrated databank and a “master plan”.
5. The field experience is used in a process of reflection with the national authorities, concerning the water and sanitation sector:
• co-operation with ‘Direction de l’Hydraulique’- ‘Water Department’ in Gitega; capitalizing the experiences;
• participation in meetings and debates on the water sector in Bujumbura.

Financing

DGCD, CM Midden Vlaanderen, CISV en ???.