Located in the north-eastern region of Africa known as the Horn of Africa, Ethiopia is a land of high mountains, with some peaks rising to over 4,500 metres. The Ethiopian central highlands contribute to several major river systems including the famous Blue Nile. The country’s ethnic, cultural, and linguistic diversity is significant; over 100 languages are spoken. Agriculture provides a livelihood for some 90% of the population. WaterCan’s support for projects in Ethiopia began in 1988.

• Capital: Addis Ababa
• Population: 73.8 million
• Child mortality (under 5 years of age): 169/1,000 live births
• Average life expectancy: 47.6 years
• Water supply coverage: 22%
• Sanitation supply coverage: 6%
• Population below income poverty line: ??
• UN Human Development Index rank (out of 175 countries): 170

Project Title: Meskan District Clean Water for Schools Project
Location: Meskan District, Central Ethiopia, Eastern Africa
Budget: CDN $35,000
Project Reach: At least 3,000 school children & teachers
Key Activities: Water supply, hygiene and sanitation promotion, capacity building

Photo: Students at Enseno Usman Primary School in Meskan District, southern Ethiopia


Many schools in Ethiopia have very poor sanitation environments because of one or more of the following reasons: non-existent or insufficient water supply, sanitation, and hand-washing facilities; toilets or latrines that are not properly adapted to the needs of children, especially girls; broken, dirty and unsafe facilities; children with poor hygiene habits and hand- washing practices.



Safe and healthy school conditions are essential for better educational achievements. In fact various studies have shown that both school attendance and educational performance improve when children suffer less from water and sanitation related diseases. Moreover, a dirty and unhygienic school environment will discourage students, especially girls, from attending their classes and completing their education, and the best teachers will be less willing to work and stay at a school that does not have proper water and sanitation facilities. This prevents children from getting an education that could help their families and communities to escape from poverty and enjoy a better life.



There are several compelling reasons why school- aged children should be engaged in efforts aimed at improving local hygiene and sanitation conditions: children are eager to learn and the school setting can stimulate and support positive behavioural change; children have important roles in household chores related to hygiene and become agents of change within their families and communities, and; children are future parents – what they learn at school is likely to be passed on to their own children.

Meskan District is a rural area located about 200 kilometres south-west of Addis Ababa, the national capital. Most villagers rely on unsafe sources of water that are drawn from polluted streams, unprotected natural springs and traditional wells. During the rainy season, it is common for people to use water from dirty pools that collect on the ground. Water and sanitation related diseases such as diarrhoea, intestinal parasites, and skin and eye infections, are common health problems affecting local communities. Poor water and sanitation conditions also prevail in most of Meskan District’s schools, especially in primary schools, which are attended by children from poor subsistence farming families. Most schools do not have running water or even basic sanitation facilities. As a result, students can go through the entire day without access to a drink of water, and the lack of latrines forces them to relieve themselves in adjacent fields.

Photo: Outside Enseno Usman Primary School


The overall goal of the project is provide school children, teachers and staff of three rural primary schools in rural Meskan District with improved and sustained access to clean water, sanitation facilities and hygiene education. The project is expected to benefit at least 3,000 children and adults.

The following three schools to be assisted are:

• Dobena Mulu Primary School (pop’n ~ 2,300)
• Batie Lajano Primary School (pop’n ~ 510)
• Enseno Usman Primary School (pop’n ~ 260)

At each of the three schools, the following activities will be carried out:

• Development of a hand-dug well each fitted with a sturdy hand-pump (total of three wells).
• Construction of a four-door ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrine block with hand-washing facilities (total of three VIP latrine blocks and hand- washing facilities).
• Establishment and training a water and sanitation (WATSAN) committee to operate and manage the developed water supply and sanitation facilities (total of three WATSAN committees).
• Carry out school-based sanitation and hygiene education activities.

• At least 3,000 students and teachers at three primary schools located in rural Meskan District will gain improved access to safe and sustainable water supplies, and sanitation facilities.
• Students will adopt improved hygiene and sanitation practices thereby reducing their vulnerability to related diseases.

At each school, a WATSAN committee made up of teachers and other staff will be established and trained. Each committee will be responsible for the routine operation and maintenance of the developed water supply and sanitation systems, and to support hygiene education activities within their schools.

WaterCan’s local partner, COWDO, will be responsible for the on-the-ground management of the project. WaterCan will review progress of the project against expected results, and will identify and provide technical assistance to COWDO as needed. This will include periodic field visits to the project site by WaterCan personnel.

WaterCan@Universities student Chapters: $30,000
WaterCan general fundraising: $5,000