Many positive outcomes thanks to the donation of the “East Asian Society Bremen”

By Tim Cordsen, BORDA Bremen
In 2007 BORDA launched its annual Fund Raising Campaign “BORDA helps” for the first time. The donated money was sufficient to fund two projects, one of them the construction of a new water supply in the south Indian village of Jalahallihundi. Especially the amount of 18.000 Euros that was donated by the “East Asian Society Bremen” boosted this project. Together with its Indian Partner organization RLHP Borda was able to establish a new water supply. The best way to describe the situation is to listen to the inhabitants of Jalahallihundi:

“I am Mahadevamma and a member of Chowdeshwari women sanga in Jalahallihundi. We are 197 families in our village. We work as daily wagers. For many years we had water problems. The bore well provided by the government was not functioning. We women had to get up at at five am every day to fetch water from faraway places. The water was not enough to wash clothes and clean our homes. We took bath once a week and used to get many diseases for which we had to spend money. As children also had to go to get water, they did not go to school on time and did not get enough time to study. We requested RLHP to provide us with drinking water supply. RLHP provided us two bore wells and five water tanks with taps and we contributed through daily labour. Now we have sufficient water for daily bath and washing clothes. Our children go to school regularly now and we women also have time to go to work and earn money.”

So the people of Jalahallihundi are obviously satisfied with their new water supply, which consist of two bore wells and five water tanks each having a volume of 2900 litres. There is always water available, now. The total impact of water supply on the lives of people was identified in an impact assessment study. It was conducted on 19th March 2009 and it covered 40 families. The results of the study are as follows:

• The families have now sufficient water for personal and household purposes.
• Owing to regular water supply within the community, most of the families save three to four hours per day.
• Women use the saved time for engaging in agriculture work, flower threading, dairy farming, coconut factory and other works, thereby augmenting their income.
• Women have some time now for themselves to rest and improve their health.
• The children now go to school on time every day.
• Almost all of them take bath every day or on alternative day, and improve personal hygiene and household cleanliness.
• Due to availability of clean water now, diarrhea and other water related diseases are reduced.
• Families support O&M through monthly contribution Rs. 10 per family.
• The community takes care of minor maintenance of the water facility while the municipality takes care of major maintenance.
• The O&M committee takes ownership in monitoring the maintenance of the water project.
• The water project played positive role in strengthening the unity in the community. The community members come together to discuss and decide on community issues/problems.
• With trainings and meetings conducted by RLHP, the community members are more empowered to dialogue with deputy commissioner and officials in the Municipality and Electricity board, and get permission/benefits related to water project.
• Increased women empowerment – women who were earlier afraid to speak in public meeting are now more verbal and expressive of their opinions and suggestions in the meetings, and take lead role in community activities.

So for past 100 years, people of this community suffered due to water problem. Now, the adequate and regular supply of water has brought smile and manifold benefits to the lives of people. The community is more united and active. Thanks to “Bremen East-Asian Association” (BEAA) for the financial support and to BORDA for mobilizing the resources.