Following in the footsteps of Nafadji

Safe water provision and the promotion of hygiene and sanitation in the community of Korofina Sud came from WaterAid's initiative to replicate some of the good practices experienced in a similar project in Nafadji.

Korofina Sud was chosen because the demand for improved services came from the community itself, supported by the Mayor of Commune One.  The community itself established its development plan for implementation without any assistance from external facilitators.

Monsieur Badora de Sidibé from the Water and Sanitation Committee of Korofina Sud noted that the process of getting water and sanitation has not been easy, but with determination and help, the community are solving these problems.

Now there are five water taps that operate in our area.  We don’t have anything to say but thank you.

He notes, “The people of our area have had many problems related to water and sanitation.  It is a crowded area – there are more than 7,000 people in one square kilometre.

“If you came to Korofina Sud a short while ago you wouldn’t believe your eyes.  There was so much rubbish everywhere there was no where to walk.  We suffered.  If a doctor were here today he would talk and talk about all the disease.

“Until 2002 there was no public water.  There were only two water taps.  They belonged to private businessmen who lived a long way from our neighbourhood.  There was a great need for water so the price was high.

“There were also road accidents because you had to cross the road to get water – a small girl I knew was killed on the girl as she went to get water.

“We realized it was time we got up to do something for ourselves.  The inhabitants of the quarter must turn the problems around.  We bought bleach and put into the water. Despite this we couldn’t drink it or cook with it.

“A few years later someone came and dug a borehole but he water was not good.  We continued to seek partners.  We heard that WaterAid was working in Nafadji.  We went there and requested them to come to see our neighbourhood.

“We kept making contact with other partners meanwhile.  In 2003 WaterAid came to us and said they would replicate what they did in Nafadji.

“They sent people to our place to do a survey.  The day they came to our neighbourhood they knew we had a lot of problems.  They made a report and submitted it to our leaders.

“Now there are five water taps that operate in our area.  We don’t have anything to say but ‘thank you’.  You brought us water and now we pay 5fr per 20 liter.

“We were concerned with sustainability too.  We set up a management committee responsible for overseeing the management of water taps.  We went to Nafadji and saw that the women were cleaning the neighbourhoods.  We set up a team of women to clean the neighbourhood.  They work in harmony with the management committee.

“There are still things to solve.  The price of water is still quite high.  And we have a problem with the tap heads, which get broken and often have to be replaced.  These are the problems to solve now.”