Poul Due Jensen Foundation

Våre partnere

Poul Due Jensen Foundation and NCA are moving people up the SDG-ladder in Burundi

Poul Due Jensen

Poul Due Jensen Foundation and NCA are moving people up the SDG-ladder in Burundi

In Kirundo Province, the inhabitants in Marembo, Bunyari and Sigu villages are enjoying safe water thanks to our partner Poul Due Jensen Foundation.

Kirundo is highly vulnerable to the consequences of climate change, hampering area’s economic development, where few other international NGOs operate. At present, the enabling environment for sustainable water service delivery in Burundi is not very reassuring when it comes to achieving the SDG goal 6 on water and sanitation. The efforts of NGOs are critical in order to give safe water access to all. Through our partnership with Poul Due Jensen Foundation we can scale up and make a bigger impact.

What have we done?

Through the project we have built 3 solar powered boreholes with a small distribution network of two water kiosks per system, as well as management systems.

Building of the Grundfoss system. Photo: Gunvor E. Jakobsen / Norwegian Church Aid.
Building of the water system. Photo: Gunvor E. Jakobsen / Norwegian Church Aid.

The 3 systems were built in 2017 and started operating in January 2018. Each system has a trained water committee and a water fee collection mechanism – a kiosk.

Model of the system.

We have also ensured access to water to Marembo Health Centre.

Engaging the local community is key to sustainability

To ensure reliable access to adequate and effective WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) services, we work closely with the local communities and authorities to install or refurbish water and sanitation infrastructures, and provide information to raise awareness and encourage positive hygiene behaviour.

Building of the Grundfoss system. Photo: Gunvor E. Jakobsen / Norwegian Church Aid.
Building of the water system. Photo: Gunvor E. Jakobsen / Norwegian Church Aid.
One of the workers building the Grundfoss system. Photo: Gunvor E. Jakobsen / Norwegian Church Aid.
One of the workers building the water system. Photo: Gunvor E. Jakobsen / Norwegian Church Aid.

Through discussions with the local communities, hosted by the committees, opening hours in the kiosk were agreed upon, as well as kiosk attendants. Collected fees are kept in dedicated bank accounts.

Operations and maintenance of systems is often a problem in projects such as this. Often, local communities alone can’t manage water infrastructures properly. Combined with limited resources intervention capacity from technical government agencies, projects are in risk of becoming unsustainable over time. In order to avoid this, NCA is using the following methods:

  • Community mobilisation
  • Establishment of committees and determination of water price
  • Alternative revenue management
  • Use of «newly» available technologies (sensors with SMS data transmission)

By doing so, we are hoping to move towards professionalism amongst water operators by

  • Creating awareness, participation and transparent processes
  • Motivating committees
  • Providing tools for transparent decision making

Moved from surface water consumption to basic water access

As mentioned, the enabling environment for sustainable water service delivery in Burundi is not very reassuring when it comes to achieving the SDG goal 6 on water and sanitation. The efforts of NGOs are critical in order to give safe water access to all. The capacity building done by NCA and others, can also increase the national capacity.

In order to contribute to this, NCA is:

  • Working with both communities and government to put them in a system and applying some elements from the private sector
  • Acting as facilitator between the communities and the government
  • Advocate for changes in the water code (ex. To recognize officially the role of water committees)

Looking at the SDG model of baselines for SDG 6 for this actual project, the inhabitants have gone from surface water consumtion to basic water access.

Table of water sources.

Kirundo

Kirundo Province is one of the eighteen provinces of Burundi. Kirundo has three big lakes: Cohoha, Rweru, and Rwihinda. Lakes Cohoha and Rweru are located in commune Busone, and Lake Rwihinda is in commune Kirundo. Kirundo is the capital city of province Kirundo.

Kirundo used to be the richest province because of its productive land. Now Kirundo is no longer productive. Climate change has devastated the province. In fifteen years the three lakes are almost half evaporated.

Kirundo is the northernmost province and it shares an international border with Rwanda.

Read more about the project

Back