World Water Week 2024: Building a Sustainable Future
The theme for World Week 2024 is Bridging Borders: Water for a Peaceful and Sustainable Future. A theme which highlights the importance of collaboration with communities to to achieve a peaceful and sustainable future.
Our water projects are life-changing for communities in Nepal. As part of our projects we build a tap stand for every household in a village, locating a safe water source to pipe straight to villagers’ doorsteps. Once installed, we show residents how to maintain their new water system and advise them on best practices in sanitation and hygiene. These projects bring many benefits to local communities, from improving the lives of women and children, to reducing the incidence of waterborne diseases.
The GWT Dharadi Gajabandi water supply project
Dharadi Gajabandi is a village in Lumbini province, south-east Nepal. The primary occupations of villagers include agriculture, cash crop cultivation, and animal husbandry. The main crops grown are maize, rice, barley, and beans. With few opportunities for local employment, many young people move abroad in search of a more reliable source of income.
The previous water supply was established in 1986, feeding two reservoir tanks and ten public tap stands. Although there was a continuous water supply, the water was neither safe nor clean and the quality became worse during the monsoon season. The infrastructure had become damaged and was poorly maintained resulting in a lack of a systematic water supply in the village.
The new water project supplies clean, fresh water to 25 households and has transformed the lives of 113 people.
One of the people to benefit is 82-year old widow Bhuma Kumari Malla, who receives a monthly pension from the GWT. Her son Gam Bahadur Malla is the Chairperson of the Water Users’ Sanitation Committee. He has been active in taking on responsibility for the project and helping to resolve any conflicts arising during the construction period.
Gam Bahadur Malla explained how water supply issues have been exacerbated by climate change, resulting in a reduced water flow in the dry season (March to April.) Construction of the new water project has resulted in a safe, reliable water supply, with robust storage tanks, new pipes and a tapstand for every household.
Benefits to the local community
“Since the completion of the project, we’ve experienced a significant reduction in the time spent fetching water. Previously, the unmanaged water supply system was a major issue, but now we have a sustainable and reliable source of safe water. This improvement has allowed women in our community to devote more time to household tasks, agriculture, and pig farming. Additionally, there have been notable enhancements in sanitation and hygiene practices among community members.
“The positive outcomes of this project have sparked a desire for further development within our community. We are now considering applying for additional projects, such as a school, to continue this progress.
“We, along with the entire community, are deeply grateful for your support and investment in our development. We look forward to collaborating on future initiatives and ensuring the sustainability and resilience of our water supply system for the next 20-30 years. Thank you for everything.” Gam Bahadur Malla
Gam is also immensely proud of his mother, who is seen as a role model in the community and played a pivotal role in getting the villagers invested in the success of project.
“I believe our community is truly happy now. We feel incredibly blessed to have safe, accessible water right in our homes. Thank you all for making this possible. I am overjoyed and want to extend my heartfelt blessings to everyone who contributed financially to this project.” Bhuma Kumari Malla
