[June 2026 | Gamo Zone, Southern Ethiopia] – Thousands of residents in Doko Shale and Dokama kebeles are experiencing a significant improvement in their quality of life following the completion of BRIGHT Project-supported water supply schemes in Chencha Zuria and Dita woredas. Serving more than 9,000 people, the projects provide access to safe drinking water, reduce the burden of water collection on women and children, improve community health, and support local livelihoods through irrigation infrastructure.
The Doko Shale water supply scheme in Chencha Zuria Woreda serves approximately 7,800 residents through a gravity-fed system consisting of a 25,000-litre reservoir, 10 public water distribution points (kiosks), and 5.8 kilometres of transmission and distribution pipelines. The project also includes cloth-washing facilities and cattle troughs, enhancing the overall wellbeing of the community.
In addition to providing potable water, the scheme incorporates an 18,000-litre night-storage irrigation reservoir that supports irrigation on 28 to 50 hectares of farmland, benefiting between 25 and 50 households and contributing to improved food security and livelihoods.
The water supply system draws water from five protected springs located on the slopes of Swiza Mountain and conveys it to communities through an extensive distribution network.
Community members expressed their appreciation for the intervention and the positive changes it has brought to their daily lives.
“We used to fetch water from the Wolola Cherigetchi River, which was far from our homes and often caused waterborne diseases because it was unsafe,” said Mr. Abo Kassie, Mrs. Gastie Gayissie, and Mrs. Yoti Mandosie, long-time residents of the kebele. “Thanks to the BRIGHT Project, WLRC, the local government, and all partners, we now have access to clean drinking water, irrigation facilities, cattle troughs, and washing stations. This has transformed our lives.”
Another resident, Mr. Mulatu Mezgie, recalled the burden previously faced by women and children in the community.
“Women and children used to walk long distances carrying 20-litre jerry cans of unsafe water from nearby rivers. Besides the physical burden, many families suffered from waterborne diseases. Today, thanks to the support of BRIGHT and WLRC, that has become a thing of the past,” he said.
According to Eng. Shimelis Zewudie of the Gamo Zone Water and Energy Department, the project has significantly improved access to safe water by reducing the average time required to collect water from 40–50 minutes to just about five minutes.
Dr. Yilikal Anteneh, Land and Ecosystems Division Director at the Water and Land Resource Centre (WLRC) and Coordinator of BRIGHT Project interventions in the Hare Catchment, explained that the project was developed following assessments that identified limited access to potable water as a major challenge in the area.
“Working closely with community members and local government stakeholders, the project protected five springs and developed a water supply system that channels clean water to a 25,000-litre reservoir before distributing it through ten water points,” he noted.
Dr. Yilikal further indicated that the project was implemented at a total cost of ETB 5.7 million through contributions from the BRIGHT Project and the local community in the form of labour and locally available materials. The scheme directly benefits about 7,800 people, while the irrigation component supports up to 50 households.
The BRIGHT Project is financed by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN) and the European Union (EU) and is implemented by the Water and Land Resource Centre (WLRC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Water and Energy (MoWE) and other regional, zonal, and woreda-level partners.