Figure 1. Dollo-Bay Solar Powered Water Pumping System.
The Building Opportunities for Resilience in the Horn of Africa (BORESHA) project has continued to prioritize and scale up its support in response to the drought situation in the Mandera Triangle. Adan Muhumed Abdi Noor, Dolow-Bay District Water Officer, wants to thank CARE International and the BORESHA Project for their commendable water intervention. This has included support for solarization and the extension of a water pumping system that has helped an estimated 12,000 people. Adan leads the CARE team on a tour around the perimeter fence that secures the solar-powered water pumping system. He happily narrates how the community is progressing in realizing its dream of accessing an adequate supply of affordable and safe water.
“Two months ago, we had limited water supply from the river because we relied on a diesel-powered generator to the filtration reservoir in Dollo-Bay Woreda, which is 1.5 Km away from the river. The high cost of running the generator and regular breakdown forced us to approach CARE for additional support in the installation of hybrid solar-powered systems to enhance a constant water supply and reduce fuel costs. On average the Dollo-Bay Water department uses 1,600 litres of diesel per month to pump water during the day and with the current inflation rate the price of fuel has doubled which limits the frequent pumping of water. When the generator breaks down, we will buy water from the town at exorbitant prices. Those who could not afford to buy water resorted to fetching water from the river”, said Adan.
Adan’s ambition was to have a sustainable water supply solution for Dollo-Bay residents as his priority. He reached out to various donors but no donor had the resources to develop all the required water infrastructure. In 2021 CARE supported the installation of a Dollo Bay Filtration-solar hybrid but had no resources for Dollo Bay River intake, but promised that this would be supported in the subsequent phases of the project. It’s under these conditions that CARE International with EUTF funding for the third phase of the BORESHA project intervened by providing a hybrid solar water pumping system that provides a constant water supply and reduces costs by saving expenditure on 1,200 litres of fuel (78,000 Ethiopian Birr equivalent to 1,396 Euro) per month.
“Solar Installation has closed the gap and made access to water easier with fewer worries about fuel costs, and generator break down. It has also increased the output of water from the river by 50%”, reports Adan.
“We now have constant water supply in our homes, and congestion at the public water kiosk by water vendors has reduced: this is a dream come true”, says Adan Muhumed.
Halima, a mother of two recalls how the water situation was dire before the solar powered system intervention. Halima and her fellow women experienced many challenges to meet their families’ daily water needs. In groups, women on the outskirts of Dollo-Ado used to trek roughly 3 kilometers to and from the river, using donkey carts thrice a week to fetch water for their families.
“Early in the morning I used to go to the river in the company of other women with our donkey carts. We traveled for an hour to and from the river”. Hamida narrates.
The tiresome journey of fetching water was worsened by insecurity especially for the young girls as it was not safe to collect water on their own. In many cases, crocodiles also posed a threat for those fetching water from the river.
The water kiosk is now strategically built about 500 meters away from the homesteads to reduce the distance walked to and from the village. The water kiosk is also fitted with 8 taps and serves eight people at once. It serves approximately 1500 residents of Bardaley village.
“ On behalf of the village, I want to thank BORESHA and the EU for establishing this important project for us. says” Halima.