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VOLUME IV ISSUE III SEPTEMBER 2013 FAITH, WATER, & DEVELOPMENT

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE Sustainable Relief in DRC Multiple-Use Water Systems in Nepal & more orld Water Week 2013 is upon us, and the The USAID Water and Development Strategy stresses international water community will once integrated approaches that address the competing de- W again gather to cooperate on water issues mands of multiple water users, including households, for greater impact. Now is the ideal time to look communities, agriculture, and industry. In this issue, at innovative approaches and effective partnerships we take you inside the villages in Nepal’s Mid-Western that can help us achieve a water-secure future. region, where USAID introduced multiple use water systems that are boosting water productivity and liveli- Our cover story takes a closer look at how cooperation hoods. Now, families are thriving as they spend their with faith-based communities is helping to promote time improving their farms instead of collecting water. efficient water use, stamp out water-borne disease, and foster peace. “It has never been more important for Integrated approaches are also necessary when secular and religious organizations around the world addressing devastating crises such as the food, to step up and cooperate,” writes USAID Center for water, health, and security crises in the Democratic Faith-Based and Community Initiatives Director J. Republic of Congo. To provide sustainable relief

LETTER FROM THE WATER LETTER OFFICE THE WATER FROM Mark Brinkmoeller in this issue’s Perspectives piece. to conflict-affected victims in this war-torn country, With centuries of experience helping the vulnerable, USAID is simultaneously working to improve WASH faith-based community groups are critical partners in and healthcare in camps for displaced people, repair efforts to make the world a better place. The stories damaged infrastructure, support local farmers are inspiring: Hindu and Muslim religious leaders with training, and bring hope to the country. working together with secular leaders to eradicate polio in India, Egyptian Sheikhs preaching about We hope you enjoy this issue. Happy World Water Week! water conservation in their Friday sermons, and Kenyan Christians and Muslims fostering peaceful coexistence by digging wells, building water pumps, and working together to govern water resources.

RALLYING AROUND FAITH: Members of the Zambia Council of Churches march to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS. 2 Photo Credit: Center for Communication Programs, Courtesy of Photoshare

USAID GLOBAL WATERS 3 Faith-Based Partnerships for Water for Faith-Based Partnerships

Improving Improving with Efficiency Multiple-Use in Nepal Systems In Focus The Waterfront Faith, Water, and Faith, Water, Development On Building a More More Building a Society Secure the DRC in Real Real Impact Global Water Initiative Promotes Sustainable Sustainable Promotes Initiative Water Global Africa Management in East Watershed Change Behavior for Vision Builds a Framework World Domestic Rainwater Introduces EnterpriseWorks Harvesting Product

Currents 06 PERSPECTIVES:

Cover Photo Credit: Christopher Pillitz Credit: Photo Cover A young Sikh girl drinks water from communal taps in Amritsar's Golden Temple in Temple Amritsar's Golden in taps communal Sikh girl drinks water from A young FOR FAITH: WATER photo: Cover India. Punjab,

12

16 10 Extending Our Reach: PERSPECTIVES Faith-Based Partnerships and Development By J. Mark Brinkmoeller

or over five decades, USAID Millennium Development Goals of water issues. The Grammy has been working with (MDGs) for greater access to Award-winning band Jars of Clay Fcountries around the world water and sanitation have brought joined the launch of USAID’s to help the earth’s vulnerable development and faith organiza- Water and Development strategy populations. Whether combating tions together to address pervasive by video during their world tour. floods or droughts, food insecurity health and environmental issues or infant mortality, we have seen around water. It is this kind of Faith-based groups are effective the necessity of cooperation. cooperation that led to the remark- partners because they have spent Some of our most productive able achievement of improving hundreds of years gathering partnerships have been with small, access to water two years ahead of knowledge and cultivating trust, local grassroots organizations that the MDG target. and they uniquely have the closest contact with those FAITH-BASED affect people’s in need–groups like indigenous For an example behavior. USAID governing bodies, neighborhood of faith’s reach, GROUPS NOT collaborated with clinics, local hospitals, and take a look at the ONLY WORK over 30 faith-based faith-based community groups. slums of Nairobi, groups on our Child Kenya, where over ON SPECIFIC Survival Call to Faith-based groups in particular 70 percent of PROJECTS TO Action, when we are increasingly relevant partners people get their together declared, because they are integrally basic healthcare HELP BRING “Every Child intertwined with human daily life from faith-based WATER TO Deserves a 5th around the globe. Over 80 percent organizations and Birthday.” Organi- of people practice a religion, over hospitals. Islamic MILLIONS OF zations like Islamic half of the world’s schools are groups and Christian PEOPLE, BUT Relief USA, Catho- faith-affiliated, and many health groups work lic Relief Services, facilities in the world’s poorest alongside secular THEY ALSO SPEAK Episcopal Relief areas are associated with faiths. development orga- OUT AND RAISE & Development, nizations there to and the Center for Religious institutions exist in bring clean and safe AWARENESS ON Interfaith Action virtually every community in the water to the most THE IMPORTANCE on Global Poverty world. They are respected, bring- vulnerable, helping have adopted this ing trusted knowledge, values, and families and com- OF WATER ISSUES. rallying cry and skills to communities that many munities to thrive. joined forces other institutions cannot reach. In with us to prevent diarrheal the developing world, faith leaders Within the United States, faith- diseases, promote good nutrition, are working tirelessly to improve based groups not only work on and bring safe water, sanitation, access to clean and safe water to specific projects to help bring and hygiene to children under 5. combat poverty and alleviate dis- water to millions of people, but ease among their followers. Since they also speak out and raise In the field, faith leaders are 2000, joint efforts to meet the awareness on the importance especially key. In conflict-ridden

4 AGENTS FOR CHANGE: Dan Haseltine, lead singer of multi-platinum Christian rock band Jars of Clay, supported the U.S. Water and Development Strategy launch and started the grassroots organization Blood: Water Mission to empower communities to fight the HIV/AIDS and water crises in Africa. Photo Credit: David Bergman/Corbis and water-scarce Yemen, imams like sustainable water resources has never been more important for who received training supported by management and water, sanitation, secular and religious organizations USAID teach mothers and children and hygiene in schools, leading around the world to step up and important hygiene messages. In to over 25 new long-term plans. cooperate. These partnerships Indonesia, Paengajian As-Salaam, Now, leaders from these different offer the opportunity for greater a Muslim women’s prayer group faiths are working throughout the impact, wider reach, and a lasting supported by USAID, distributes continent toward goals like teach- future: A future where every Air RahMat, a chemical solution ing water harvesting in Nigeria’s family has access to clean water that purifies water. In Cambodia, Catholic schools and creating “eco- and enough to eat, and every child monks teach important disease mosques” throughout Ethiopia. reaches his or her 5th birthday. prevention measures like hand washing and provide HIV/AIDS These partnerships have been J. Mark Brinkmoeller is the director care. And last year, we supported fruitful, but it is time to do more. of the USAID Center for Faith- a workshop that trained Christian, With climate change intensifying, Based and Community Initiatives. Muslim, and Hindu leaders from the world’s population swelling, sub-Saharan Africa on topics and water resources dwindling, it USAID GLOBAL WATERSGLOBAL USAID

PARTNERING FOR WASH: Children line up to wash their hands in Kibera, a slum outside of Nairobi, Kenya, where Christian and Muslim groups work alongside secular development organizations to increase access to WASH. Photo Credit: Christy Gillmore 5 RIVERS OF CHANGE: Women pray in the Ganges River in India. Water is central to many faiths, including Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. Photo Credit: Pranab Chandra, Courtesy of Photoshare ON THE WATERFRONT

FAITH, WATER, AND DEVELOPMENT

illions of Hindus gather Water is central to most faiths. goals that are integral to all faiths: to bathe in the Ganges Christians perform baptisms in Safe access to water, improved MRiver in India every water, Judaism prescribes ritual livelihoods, and thriving families. 12 years. They chant scriptures, washings, Buddhists present monks sing religious songs, and cleanse with water during funerals, and PARTNERS FOR themselves in the rivers during Zoroastrianism forbids water GENERATIONS “Ardh Kumbh Mela,” the Half pollution. Many faiths have Pitcher Festival. Sacred Hindu deemed certain water sources as writings say that this ritual sacred – truly the oldest form Today, over 80 percent of people bathing cleanses believers, of environmental protection. worldwide identify as members of speeding their way to Nirvana. a religious or spiritual community. Increasingly, aid organizations are Religious values and practices Almost 4,000 miles away in finding that the inverse is also true. are deeply entwined in the fabric Mecca, Saudi Arabia, several Faith-based groups can be essential of daily lives, and the leaders million Muslims will sip water partners in the quest to bring water of churches, mosques, temples, from the Zamzam Well as part to people and boost public health. and other religious communities of the annual Hajj. This well is For more than 50 years, from the play an important role in shaping said to have saved the Prophet smallest villages to vast regions, attitudes, opinions, and behaviors. Ismail from dying of thirst and USAID has been engaging monks, to have enabled the holy city of priests, imams, and other religious According to USAID’s Assistant Mecca to thrive in ancient times. leaders across the world around Administrator for Global Health

6 These partnerships have been REACHING THE especially indispensable in the wake MASSES of conflicts and natural disasters. After the Arab Spring uprisings in Yemen in 2010, USAID’s Respon- Because faith groups have spent sive Governance Project engaged centuries gaining the trust and religious leaders in efforts to love of the people they reach, they promote health and stability. And are powerful agents of behavior in the wake of debilitating floods change. In Egypt, USAID’s Water in Pakistan in 2010, USAID/Paki- and Wastewater Sector Support stan’s Agriculture Recovery Project program engaged local priests was able to reach victims in remote and sheikhs to spread messages areas by holding meetings in about water conservation that mosques where neighbors gathered were rooted in theology. At one and identified the most in need. meeting held in the Nile-side city of Sohag, the program facilitated During times of political flux, a discussion between local sheikhs religious institutions can be about references to water in the the most stable development Koran and the hadith, the collection partners on the ground. When of traditions about the Prophet a coup destabilized Madagascar Mohammed. In one such refer- in 2009, the U.S. Government ence, the Prophet Mohammed sees stopped providing direct foreign his companion S’ad using excessive assistance to the Government of amounts of water while conduct- Madagascar and instead partnered ing Muslim ritual washings and with churches to promote water, intervenes saying, “What is this? sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) by You are wasting water.” When educating parishioners, associations S’ad replies that it is permissible FAITH, WATER, of church-going women, scouts, because he was performing his and Sunday school teachers. Mr. religious duty, the Prophet replied Haja, a pastor-in-training there, that wasting water is never permis- AND DEVELOPMENT noted that this partnership proved sible, “even if you take it from uniquely effective. “Prior to this, the bank of a rushing river.” The people didn’t have the habit of sheikhs retold these stories during washing their hands after going their Friday sermons, ensuring Dr. Ariel Pablos-Mendez, “Faith to the toilet. Now everyone that these environmental messages communities are essential because washes their hands,” he said. spread amongst their followers. of their extensive networks, their credibility and leadership within communities, and their capacity to mobilize significant numbers of volunteers. Put simply, religion has a staying power that WATERSGLOBAL USAID we need to get the job done.”

The USAID Center for Faith- Based and Community Initiatives (CFBCI) was established by Presidential Executive Order in December 2002 to more effectively facilitate partnerships with faith communities. In just over a decade, CFBCI, in conjunction with other offices at USAID, has been successful in engaging these groups to work together toward common goals. INTERFAITH BRAINSTORMING: In Egypt, USAID works with priests and sheikhs to spread water conservation messages. Photo Credit: WWSS Program 7 ON THE WATERFRONT

WATER'S TRIBUTE: At the Mosque of the Prophet in Medina, Saudi Arabia, the second holiest site in Islam, pilgrims drink water from the Zamzam Well from water coolers. The Zamzam Well was said to have saved the Prophet Ismail from dying of thirst and to have enabled early Islamic society to thrive. Photo Credit: Ikhlasul Amal

In India, USAID found that water, sanitation, handwashing, and In Indonesia, the Darul Ulum religious leaders helped to elimi- other public health issues. Reli- Muslim boarding school mobilized nate the deadly waterborne disease gious leaders have also worked with local water resources. Students polio. When USAID began its USAID to fight polio in Yemen, received lessons on himma, the ongoing Global Polio Eradication Nigeria, and other countries. Islamic system of natural resource Initiative there in 1997, skeptics conservation that has been spread rumors that vaccinations Schools are another essential practiced for over 1400 years, were harmful. To counter place to partner with faiths, as the and teachers, students, and even this misinformation, USAID majority of the world's schools are neighboring community members dispatched community mobilizers religiously affiliated. When schools stepped up to plant trees, stop who joined forces with Hindu and teach lessons about hygiene and pollution, and designate protected Muslim religious leaders, local and environmental conservation, they areas of rivers. Word spread of traditional leaders, and community instill life-long habits. Often, the school’s success and now groups. In January 2013, India faith-based schools will link these a consortium of 19 Muslim celebrated two years as polio-free. lessons with faith teachings as boarding schools with over The campaign was so successful part of their curriculum, which is 30,000 students is, with financial that USAID dispatched this reinforced throughout their lives. support with USAID, working to coalition to spread messages about protect two major national parks through himma. “Protecting the environment is a religious duty,” explained K.H. Mansyur Ma’mun, leader of the Al-Amanah boarding school in Cililin, Bandung.

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES

Sometimes, religious prac- tices can present health and COMMITMENT TO CARE: A healthcare facility in Yemen, where water resource management USAID engages faith leaders to promote health and stability. challenges. But USAID has found Photo Credit: C. Martin-Chico, ICRC that in these situations, working

8 "OFTEN IT IS COMMUNITIES

OF FAITH AND FAITH-

BASED ORGANIZATIONS

THAT ARE THERE WORKING

WHEN THE REST OF THE

WORLD HAS FORGOTTEN

ABOUT PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO

WATER'S TRIBUTE: At the Mosque of the Prophet in Medina, Saudi Arabia, the second holiest site in OTHER PLACE TO TURN.” Islam, pilgrims drink water from the Zamzam Well from water coolers. The Zamzam Well was said to have saved the Prophet Ismail from dying of thirst and to have enabled early Islamic society to thrive. -USAID ADMINISTRATOR RAJIV SHAH Photo Credit: Ikhlasul Amal

with religious communities is there were no outbreaks of cholera While there are challenges, faith more important than ever. or other acute diarrheal diseases. communities continue to be indispensable partners in USAID’s Large gatherings of the faithful, Engaging with faith communi- work to make the world a better like pilgrimages, can pose health ties can also help mitigate the place. USAID Administrator risks because of the sheer number negative impacts that result Rajiv Shah summed it up in a 2012 of people who come together from religious conflicts. interview when he said, “We want in one place. But pilgrimages to do our work, which is about also present an opportunity to In coastal Kenya, which is plagued protecting people who are vulner- effectively spread messages by fighting between religious and able around the world and expand- about health to large audiences. ethnic groups over water, land, and ing the reach of human dignity, jobs, USAID’s Likoni Water-for- as broadly as possible, and often USAID successfully increased Peace project fostered coexistence it is communities of faith and health awareness in Touba, through communal water projects, faith-based organizations that are Senegal, where 2 million Mouride such as clearing sites, digging wells, there working when the rest of the Sufi Muslims gather annually for and constructing water pumps. world has forgotten about people the Magal festival. For several The project facilitated a commu- who have no other place to turn.” years, large crowds, poor sanitation nity social agreement that outlines systems, and lack of clean drinking roles of the Coastal Inter-faith A. Gambrill and C. Zeilberger water led to disease outbreaks, Council of Clerics, peace-building WATERSGLOBAL USAID including cholera. But in 2010, committees, a water committee, USAID sent a social marketing and community water users includ- More Information team to Touba and two other ing elders, women, and youth. regional religious festivals to Community members transcended USAID/CFBCI newsletter distribute 62,000 Aquatab water ethnic and religious lines to build purification tablets. Each tablet and maintain the water structures White House Office of Faith- was able to purify 20 liters of together. "How can you be Based and Neighborhood water for less than four cents per crosswise with your neighbor when Partnerships liter. The marketing team visited you chat with her at the well; when USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah religious leaders, held product you manage a project together; PBS Interview about Faith and demonstrations, conducted radio when you discuss how best to interviews, and passed out samples use this vital water?" said former Development during the festival. At that year’s USAID/Kenya Mission Director festival, for the first time in history, Erna Kerst at the project launch.

9 Water and sanitation professionals work tirelessly to improve health, promote food security, and boost livelihoods. To further USAID’s knowledge sharing CURRENTS goals, the Water Office holds learning events that present solutions and challenges common to water programs. In Currents, we share the solutions discussed at the events and others. Email us at [email protected] if you would like your project to be considered for featuring in Global Waters.

Photo Credit: EnterpriseWorks

GLOBAL WATER INITIATIVE Uganda to make water use for smallholder farmers PROMOTES SUSTAINABLE more equitable and sustainable. A key aspect of their WATERSHED MANAGEMENT work is strengthening user participation, planning, and decision-making in water management. In Samé In parts of Samé District in Tanzania, the rainy District, GWI has helped to establish a Learning and season can be brief, and the much-needed water Practice Alliance with key government, community, it provides only available for a short time. The research institutions, and non-government stakehold- resource is so precious and the timing so dif- ers to help explore, share, and scale up best practices ficult to predict that some women sleep with in water management by working with select champion their feet in dry riverbeds to ensure that if water farmers, particularly women farmers. Building on comes at night they won’t miss a single drop. principles of integrated water resources management (IWRM), the project uses a micro-watershed as a This district illustrates how variety in a watershed focal area and implements a series of action research presents different management challenges for activities on water management for smallholder smallholder farmers based on their location upstream farmers. Learning, including a better understanding or downstream. Those at the top work to capture of investment needs, will be shared widely at the what water they can before it rushes (often with great district, national, and regional levels, helping to force) downstream, where floods can be devastating. enhance farmer resilience and increase food security. Competition for the limited resource at both ends and in the middle calls for strong management, For more information on this project and other particularly given the increasingly variable rainfall. GWI projects highlighted during USAID’s June 28, 2013 learning event, visit USAID’s The Global Water Initiative (GWI), a partnership of Water Learning and Sharing website. international NGOs funded by the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, is working in Tanzania, Ethiopia, and

10 WORLD VISION BUILDS BEHAVIOR promotes innovative water harvesting possibilities. CHANGE FRAMEWORK EnterpriseWorks, a division of U.S. nonprofit Relief International, is introducing one such product, a device called bob® the rainwater bag. Behavior change is necessary for all other health- related interventions to succeed. While providing The bob® is a portable rainwater storage bag that access to improved water and sanitation is important, enables the collection and use of rainwater at the it will not lead to improved health if people do not household level. Domestic rainwater harvesting has use the improved services or modify their hygiene been practiced for thousands of years but is under- behavior. However, behavior change programs utilized because current water storage technologies present challenges, as they necessitate not just reach- are expensive and difficult to move. EnterpriseWorks ing people but ensuring that messages resonate with developed and field-tested bob® to address these them enough to inspire sustainable, long-term change. shortcomings. The rainwater bag costs less than half of what other domestic rainwater harvesting products World Vision has experienced positive results cost and has a storage capacity of 1,400 liters, but through community-led total sanitation (CLTS), comes in a compact 20-liter package. If successful, participatory hygiene and sanitation transformation bob® has the potential to help millions of people initiatives, community health clubs, and school WASH in the developing world access safe water in their clubs. Their experience shows that behavior change own homes and make the most of erratic rainfall. happens when there is a focus on interacting with the audience, instead of one-way communication. EnterpriseWorks is marketing bob® with wall They stress that harmful hygiene behaviors persist paintings, radio and TV messages, posters, and not because of lack of awareness, but that other billboards through a commercial pilot project in factors are at work, and knowledge is often not Uganda, where over 2,800 units have been sold. the controlling determinant. By learning what the They are testing bob® in more than 10 countries barriers to behavior change are and comparing the with local partners and have plans to scale up if perceptions of doers and non-doers, a framework the Uganda pilot project proves successful. can be designed to address perceived negative consequences and create bridges to these activities. For more information on this project, visit bob® on Facebook and YouTube. In Ethiopia, a World Vision WASH program using this type of framework led to a drop in open defeca- tion from 69 to 44 percent between 2008 and 2010. Factors of success included participation in CLTS, household visits from a community outreach worker, and regular follow-up visits. Through these efforts, latrine ownership came to be viewed positively as con- tributing to the community’s health and development.

For more information on this project and other behavior change approaches highlighted during USAID’s June 27, 2013 learning event, visit USAID’s Water Learning and Sharing website. WATERSGLOBAL USAID

ENTERPRISEWORKS INTRODUCES DOMESTIC RAINWATER HARVESTING PRODUCT

Projections show that by 2025, two thirds of the world’s population could be living in severe water stress conditions. The quest for water overtakes the lives of millions. In the developing world, on average, women walk six kilometers each day to collect water – a daily total of 200 million hours or 293 lifetimes. Given the growing scarcity of water, the USAID Water and Development Strategy

Photo Credit: Tibebu Lemma, UNICEF Ethiopia 11 IMPROVINGIMPROVING EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY WITHWITH IN FOCUS MULTIPLE-USEMULTIPLE-USE SYSTEMSSYSTEMS ININ NEPALNEPAL

TEACHING WATER USE: An EIG trainer demonstrates how to use drip irrigation, a water-efficient method of growing crops. 12 Photo Credit: George Figdor IMPROVINGIMPROVING EFFICIENCY EFFICIENCY WITHWITH MULTIPLE-USEMULTIPLE-USE SYSTEMSSYSTEMS ININ NEPALNEPAL

ina Chaudhury of the quarters lack access to improved rural Dang district in Ne- sanitation. Consequently, over pal’s Mid-Western region 10 percent of deaths of children has risen from the ashes under 5 are due to diarrhea. ofR modern-day slavery to become a self-sufficient, empowered farmer. At the heart of these problems is Rina was sold into forced labor water – water for sanitation, water as a little girl through Nepal’s for growing food, and clean water notorious Kamalari indentured for drinking. To simultaneously ad- servant system. When she was dress these competing needs, EIG finally freed, she was able to marry introduced multiple-use systems but had no skills to earn money. (MUS), a concept that USAID is “I have always had to depend on increasingly employing around my husband for money. Who else the world. MUS employs a multi- could I turn to?” she said. But faceted approach that can meet now, thanks to help from USAID/ domestic, agricultural, and sanita- Nepal’s Education for Income tion demands, so water resources Generation project (EIG), which are efficiently and safely utilized. increased water efficiency and taught marginalized people in Ne- Dr. Mary Renwick, who leads pal’s Mid-Western region the skills the MUS portfolio for EIG’s to thrive, Rina is the proud owner implementing partner Winrock of a booming vegetable business. International, said that with traditional single-use systems, People in the Mid-Western Region, “Irrigation canals may be used for where poverty is rampant, face bathing or people may water their a number of challenges. Lack livestock at a drinking water well.” of physical infrastructure makes This can lead to contaminated service delivery difficult and drinking water, inefficient use, and farmers often do not have key conflicts over water. “MUS is a WATERSGLOBAL USAID inputs such as water. Over three- way of avoiding those scenarios by

WOMEN TAKE CONTROL: EIG enabled tens of thousands of Nepalese to increase their incomes by providing targeted trainings and improving water management. Photo Credit: George Figdor, Winrock International 13 IN FOCUS

MEETING COMMUNITY NEEDS: In Nepal's hills, where water is scarce, EIG helped communities create above-ground water storage tanks. Photo Caption: George Figdor, Winrock International

WATER FOR HEALTH: EIG provided hygiene training WATER FOR FOOD: Drip irrigation enables farmers to grow in addition to more water for hand washing. high value vegetables with relatively low amounts of water. 14 Photo Credit: George Figdor, Winrock International Photo Credit: George Figdor, Winrock International strategically planning for people’s The first, the Knowledge-based domestic and productive water Integrated Sustainable Agriculture needs, with the overarching goal of project, or KISAN (“farmer” in improving health and livelihoods Nepali), is already underway, aiming “MUS IS A WAY sustainably,” Dr. Renwick said. to improve agriculture production, nutrition, and hygiene throughout OF AVOIDING The new community water systems Nepal, with an emphasis on THOSE in Nepal consist of a single source women and children under 5 pipe with dual storage and distribu- years old. And the second, an SCENARIOS BY tion systems for domestic use and entrepreneurial literacy project, will for irrigation using drip and micro- continue and expand upon some STRATEGICALLY sprinklers. The systems cost $100- of the training successes of EIG, PLANNING $150 per household and are funded targeting KISAN beneficiaries. with investments from public and FOR PEOPLE'S private sector sources within each Outside Nepal, Winrock is applying DOMESTIC AND community. They are particularly the lessons of EIG to expand life changing for women, who are MUS around the world. “We’re PRODUCTIVE typically responsible for collecting consciously working on building water in Nepal. As a result of linkages between South Asia, West WATER EIG’s relatively small investments Africa, and East Africa through NEEDS.” in MUS, women who once devoted cross-learning, joint training, and vast amounts of time and energy research to facilitate acceleration of -DR. MARY to fetching water can channel those MUS scale-up,” said Ms. Renwick. RENWICK, efforts into expanding their farms and growing high-value vegetables. Meanwhile, the thousands reached WINROCK by EIG continue to benefit from To ensure sustainability, EIG the increased access to water INTERNATIONAL trained young people to manage for all of their needs and the the water systems and facilitated skills that have given them new the formation of water user groups earning power. Due to these to ensure the community could interventions, more than 54,000 maintain the systems. In addition, people working in agriculture, the project trained 74,000 people 82 percent of whom are women, on literacy, hygiene, nutrition, have increased their incomes by agricultural productivity, and other an average of 250 percent. life skills. The benefits of these trainings have reverberated as EIG Rina is one of these women, and alumnae have launched their own her ambitions continue to soar. businesses and created jobs for “Today, with my EIG education, their countrymen and women. I am determined to grow my WATERSGLOBAL USAID agricultural business,” she said. “The impact of the program on “My self-confidence is higher now.” household well-being has been enormous,” said Anita Mahat, an K. Unger Baillie economic specialist for USAID/ Nepal. “It addressed education, health, and food security. The em- More Information powerment of women was visible. These are sustainable impacts.” Winrock International MUS video Though EIG ended in March 2013, the work will continue under two USAID/Nepal on Facebook new projects that are part of the Feed the Future U.S. Feed the Future Initiative.

15 BUILDING A MORE SECURE SOCIETY

REAL IMPACT in the Democratic Republic of Congo

PROVIDING A LIFELINE: In DRC, USAID improves WASH in IDP camps, where thousands of people who have been displaced by the ongoing violence reside. 16 Photo Credit: Oxfam International A CLEAN START: Soap is distributed at an IDP camp to prevent the spread of water-borne diseases like cholera and diarrhea. Photo Credit: Julien Harneis

aida Landry, a widowed goat Assistance (USAID/OFDA) and making administering aid difficult. breeder who lives with her the U.S. Department of State. “The biggest challenge is that Ffive children in the rural people are being displaced–some- village of Makunga in the Demo- Years of conflict have worsened an times multiple times–and in some cratic Republic of Congo (DRC), already dire humanitarian situa- cases with no stable location to was already struggling to feed her tion in the chronically poor and resettle because the conflict moves family before the conflict came underdeveloped country, stealing constantly,” explained Jessica Hartl, to her doorstep. But after armed millions of lives, compromising a USAID/FFP information officer. gangs ravaged her village making essential infrastructure, and hinder- her one of millions ing development SAFE WATER, SAFE of victims of the "THE ARMED efforts. The most LIVES bloodiest conflict recent stage of the since World War II, PEOPLE conflict started after she was not sure if DESTROYED the implementation To reach as many of these vulner- her family would ALL OF OUR of a peace treaty in able people as possible, USAID make it. “The armed 2003, when fighting has been providing aid in IDP people destroyed FAMILY broke out between camps, temporary shelters that all of our family GOODS, forces loyal to the can each house up to tens of goods, including Kinshasa govern- thousands of people displaced WATERSGLOBAL USAID INCLUDING the goats, and my ment and various by the ongoing violence. family suffered as THE GOATS." armed groups in a result,” she said. -FAIDA LANDRY, eastern DRC. In But even once they reach the the last decade, relative safety of the camps, IDPs GOAT BREEDER Fortunately, Faida the situation has face a different but equally deadly and other victims deteriorated, leaving threat: Unhealthy living conditions of the violence in the DRC have approximately 2.6 million people as a result of inadequate access received food, shelter, healthcare, displaced from their homes. to WASH. “Displacement due and water, sanitation, and hygiene to ongoing conflict between the (WASH) assistance through a wide- Recent violence has led to dramatic government and a myriad of armed ranging $139.5 million relief effort growth in the number of internally groups has exacerbated WASH administered by USAID’s Office displaced people (IDPs)–there needs among many Congolese,” of Food for Peace (USAID/FFP) were over 174,000 new IDPs be- said James Mosher, disaster and Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster tween April and May 2013 alone– operations specialist for USAID/

17 "WE ARE NOT JUST TRYING TO SAVE LIVES, WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO FOSTER A MORE SECURE, REAL IMPACT SUSTAINABLE SOCIETY." -JESSICA HARTL, USAID OFFICE OF FOOD FOR PEACE

WATER FOR LIFE: A woman gives water to her young daughter in Mugunga I camp near the city of Goma in eastern DRC. 18 Photo Credit: Oxfam International SUSTAINING FUTURES: Children collect water at a water point in the Goma area. USAID is working in Goma and other cities throughout DRC to ensure that victims of violence have adequate access to WASH. Photo Credit: Oxfam International

OFDA. “Spontaneous displace- implementing partners to upgrade productivity training, distributing ment sites throughout the east key water supply infrastructure, key farming materials, and paying often lack the water and sanitation install water chlorination points, local Congolese with food to repair facilities required by IDPs.” and build latrines. In addition, damaged irrigation infrastructure. they empower the Congolese to “We are not just trying to save Indeed, the majority of people take control over their health by lives, we’re also trying to help in some IDP hubs, such as the facilitating the formation of health foster a more secure, sustain- city of Goma, lack access to safe and water committees and by con- able society,” said Ms. Hartl. drinking water. Consequently, ducting trainings on sanitation and many IDPs walk up to three hours hygiene while distributing hygiene For conflict victims like Faida, through insecure areas to search supplies like soap. These trainings these efforts not only boost health, for clean water. In Goma, vulner- can make the difference between food security, and livelihoods–but able populations often resorted life and death in the camps, where also hope. Faida reported that, to consuming untreated water people live in extremely close quar- after days and days of feeling directly from Lake Kivu, increasing ters. USAID hopes to reach over 1 hopeless, “Today I am dreaming the risk of cholera and other million people with these efforts. of a good future for my family.” waterborne diseases. Diarrheal USAID GLOBAL WATERSGLOBAL USAID disease is the single most common FOSTERING A FOOD- C. Zeilberger cause of death in the Democratic SECURE AND SELF- Republic of Congo and in the first half of 2013 alone, Congolese SUFFICIENT FUTURE More Information health facilities reported over 17,400 cases of cholera. As of While the conflict continues, USAID/OFDA on Facebook May 2013, the U.N. estimates that USAID is also looking outside the nearly 21 million people in DRC camps to foster long-term stability, USAID Office of Food For Peace are in need of WASH assistance self-sufficiency, and food security. USAID/DRC on YouTube due to the complex emergency. Whenever possible, USAID buys food from local farmers to distrib- USAID is therefore focusing on ute in the camps, which provides a improving WASH, especially in market for food from smallholder IDP camps in Goma and other farmers. USAID supports other areas. They are working with farmers by providing agriculture

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Photo Credit: Naman Shah, Courtesy of Photoshare