Reference :
V-P-AF-E-02366
Date :
30/11/2015
Caption :
Herat province, Koushk-e Rabat Sangi district, Lak Lak village. ICRC trains communities to manage water supplies. A donkey drinks at the newly-repaired hand pump.
Confidentiality level :
public
Publication restrictions :
publication without restrictions
Description :
ICRC website article, 21.03.2016: “Afghanistan: ICRC trains communities to manage water supplies. Conflict, drought and mismanagement are depriving people of water. The ICRC is training communities to operate and maintain their own water pumps and systems, ensuring that they enjoy a reliable supply of clean water. [...]Keeping water flowing in the countryside. We're focusing on making sure people have the basics, and that essential services are running. There are different needs in different places, but one thing they have in common is that there's an ever-closer link with environmental problems. One of the many things we're doing is to make sure communities have access to the water they need for drinking, cooking and washing. But we know that other uses are important, such as life-sustaining agriculture and forestry. We're helping communities to operate, maintain and repair their handpumps, to ensure they have the water they need while making sure they do not use up the water in the ground faster than it can be replaced by rainfall and melting snow. But improving the water supply is only half the battle. We have to work directly with water users to ensure that the water supply continues to meet their needs. The availability of water changes over time, as does water quality. The demand for water also changes, and water sources must be managed effectively if they are to remain in operation. When public authorities lack the capacity to manage water supply infrastructure, setting up village-level systems for operating, maintaining and repairing it is the best way of making sure a community will have a reliable supply of clean water long-term. One example is Kurji, in Farah Province, which has seen an influx of people fleeing conflict. The ICRC has set up hand-pump repair workshops in the village and provided tools, enabling the community to repair 52 wells that had become unusable. These wells are the main source of water for 7,280 people. 305 wells have been repaired in Khak-e Sefid district, one of the most volatile regions in Farah, providing water for 42,700 people. Another 626 wells will be repaired in the near future. Similar projects have taken place in several conflict-affected remote areas of Herat Province and others will soon be starting in Badghis Province."
Original material :
digital
Resolution :
4000x3000
Orientation :
landscape
Colour/B&W :
colour
