GARWSP, Oxfam agree on protecting IDPs from water borne diseases

SANA'A, July 28
(Saba) - General Authority for Rural Water Supply Projects (GARWSP) and Oxfam GB
signed on
Wednesday in Hajjah governorate an agreement for the contribution to implement the
Sa'ada Emergency Response Rural Water Supply System in al-Quful and al-Mizraq Areas
According
to a press release issued by the Dutch Embassy, the project cost of US$ 980,000 will
be funded under the ongoing Dutch Water Sector Programme (80% Dutch funding, 20%
cost
sharing of the government of Yemen).
The project's main goal is to prevent water borne diseases and promote sustainable
use of water resources amongst the Internally Displaced persons (IDPs) and the host
population
in these two parts of the Hajjah governorate.
The project, which targets about 3,115 households, or around 22,770 persons, also
aims to provide clean drinking water to improve the health status of the target
population.
Training of the water users committees as well as community mobilization and
hygiene promotion are part of the project. It is expected that the project would
save time for
parents and children, now spent on fetching water from afar. Instead, children will
be able to spend more time in school.
In the press release, the Kingdom of the Netherlands expressed its happiness to
contribute to this combined effort of the government and NGO sector, to address
urgent humanitarian
needs in the area.
For this project the General Authority for Rural Water Projects (GARWSP) has made a
special arrangement with OXFAM. The two will jointly implement the project, each
using
their comparative strengths.
Voicing its deeply concerns about the humanitarian situation in the northern
governorates, the Dutch government urgently called on all parties to observe full
compliance
with the ceasefire agreement announced in February and for a comprehensive and
inclusive national dialogue to address legitimate grievances and increase stability
in Yemen.
It also called on Yemen to make every possible effort to provide basic services to
all communities, including through partnerships with civil society organizations
such
as in the current project.
Signing of the agreement was witnessed by the ambassador of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands, Dr. Harry Buikema, Minister of Water and Environment Abdul-Rahman
al-Eryani and
Hajjah Governor Farid Mujawar.
It is worth to mention that the Dutch contribution to rural water projects has
totaled YR 6.22 billion since 2005. The amount has helped to serve around 1.1
million of people
through 340 water supply schemes. The projects have also supported capacity building
of the GARWSP and its branches, community mobilization and establishment and
training
of water users committees.
AF/AF