From the Final Grant Report

While this is an older grant (so to speak), the project addressed water issues as a part of work to support a vulnerable population. While we are all eagerly awaiting the release of the 2025 grant awards, I thought it might be interesting to see that water projects have an impact far beyond simply addressing sanitation or access to clean water issues.

Tell us a bit about how your project unfolded.
The project to improve access to water for the most vulnerable populations in the Nyiragongo region and part of the city of Goma consisted of installing 25 impluviums (sunken basin to collect rainwater) with a capacity of 300 liters each in order to provide access to water and improve people’s hygiene in two areas devoid of a natural source of water (a situation aggravated by a volcanic eruption during the third wave of COVID-19). 

This project had the following objectives:

– Contribute to improving the hygienic living conditions of the most vulnerable populations in the territory of Nyiragongo and part of the city of Goma; identify how many members of the beneficiary community have improved their hygiene conditions as a result of the project, particularly for the most vulnerable populations. 

– Train the members of the management committee of each impluvium in water, hygiene, and sanitation.

It should be noted that the rate of direct beneficiaries is 7,152 people for all structures — 92,426 indirect, i.e., a total of 99,225 beneficiaries.

What was the best part of the project?
The great contribution of these impluviums is to populations displaced following the war. These tanks were installed in the community that serves as a first response to the humanitarian needs for the displaced persons who arrived in tens of thousands. The military, prisoners, war wounded, sick, state agents, merchants, etc., all use this water for hygiene and protect the water tanks. The best part is seeing the joy and enthusiasm with which the beneficiaries take care of/protect the tanks which came to respond directly to their need for water.

Katudewe Likabaju, prefect of studies at the Ndahura Institute, a school in the Anglican Church Diocese of Goma, shared: “Certainly we received a donation from the Anglican Diocese of Goma. This is a tank installed in our school to collect rainwater. First of all, we thank the Anglican Diocese of Goma and in a particular way the donor UTO for this commendable work within our school because for a long time we have suffered from a lack of water within the school, difficulty of ensuring cleanliness in classrooms, lessons, and toilets. Since we received this water, there is property that is secured at the school level, the sentries, the students use this water to make the classrooms clean so that the students cannot get dirty and catch diseases. Here we have two schools benefiting from this water, the Ndahura institute, the Ndahura primary school, but also the church and the radio ‘sauti ya injili’ (the voice of the Gospel).”