Every drop of water comes at a price for communities in Ethiopia’s Benishangul Gumuz Region.
For many families, access to clean water means walking for hours to rivers shared by people and animals. Women and girls carry the greatest burden, making long and dangerous journeys every day to collect water that is often unsafe to drink. The consequences are far-reaching: children frequently fall sick, household responsibilities pile up, and women face immense risks.
For Hawa Abdulahi, those challenges are a recent reality, and she remembers them all too well.
Every morning, the mother from Ashen Al Metema Kebele in Bambasi Woreda set out before sunrise with empty jerrycans, preparing for a journey that took more than an hour to reach the Eshem River.
“The road was difficult, especially for children and pregnant women,” Hawa recalls. “Women experienced sexual violence, and people were attacked by wild animals.”
Hawa Abdulahi drinking water at the rehabilitated water point at Ashen Al Metema Kebele in Bambasi Woreda.
Even after reaching the river, the struggle was not over. The water was dirty and unsafe, shared by people and livestock. It repeatedly made Hawa sick.
“Since the water was dirty, I became ill again and again,” she says.
Hawa’s story was shared by hundreds of women across Bambasi and Buldigilu woredas.
In Buldigilu Woreda, Shegeto Village, Saido Semani, a mother of four who was eight months pregnant with her fifth child, also spent hours walking to the Wucha Chule River to collect just two jerrycans of water.
“I spent hours fetching water,” she says. “The dirty water always made my children sick.”
Saido Semani drinking water from the rehabilitated water facility in Buldigilu Woreda, Shegeto Village.
In November 2025, with support from the European Union, Action Against Hunger rehabilitated shallow wells in Ashen Al Metema and Abango kebeles, bringing clean water within a five-minute walk for more than 410 households.
Today, Hawa no longer worries about making the dangerous journey.
“Now I don’t need to worry about fetching water,” she says with a smile. “I can collect water whenever I need it.”
The hours she once spent walking are now devoted to caring for her six-month-old baby, completing household chores, and spending time with her family. Her family is healthier because they now drink clean, safe water.
The transformation extends far beyond Hawa’s household.
“The water point also serves the nearby school,” explains Behid Ahmed, a former member of the committee managing the water point. “Before it was repaired, people depended on unsafe rivers or travelled to neighboring villages, which often created conflict over limited water resources.”
Behid Ahmed, a former water committee member.
Now, the community is protecting what it has rebuilt. Families contribute small user fees that are saved for future maintenance, while households take turns each week cleaning the water point.
“We understand how much this water point has changed our lives,” says Saido. “That is why we take care of it.”
For Kemisa Seid, a water engineer from Buldigilu Woreda, restoring the water point was more than a professional responsibility, it was personal. As both an engineer and a community member, she played a key role in repairing the water point and ensuring the water is properly treated and safe for the community.
“I am excited to see this water point functioning again,” she says. “It was a burden for me when the water point was damaged because community members came to us with complaints every day. It was a huge relief when it was finally repaired.”
Kemisa works closely with the community to ensure uninterrupted access to clean water. Whenever a problem arises, committee members report it to her, and she responds quickly to repair the system and restore the water supply.
To ensure these improvements last, Action Against Hunger continues working closely with the Benishangul Gumuz Water and Energy Bureau by strengthening local capacity, supporting water committees, and providing water treatment chemicals and spare parts to keep the rehabilitated systems functioning.
“Demand for water is high across our region,” says Fentahun Bantie, Plan and Budget Follow-up and Evaluation Director at the Regional Water and Energy Bureau. “Through this project, more than 10 damaged water facilities have been rehabilitated. We continue working with communities to ensure these facilities are properly maintained.”
Children enjoying water at the rehabilitated water facility.
Since 2024, Action Against Hunger has rehabilitated 14 community water systems across Bambasi and Buldigilu woredas with funding from the European Union, restoring access to safe water for approximately 7,740 people.
*Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
