A Partnership In Action: The Assosa Water Project

Sometimes the greatest development projects can fail because key stakeholders have not been taken into account. In particular, successful implementation takes a strong partnership with local authorities. The Pharo Foundation’s Assosa water project, which is one of the biggest water projects in the BGRS region and has increased Assosa’s town water coverage by 8%, bears testimony to this. The project was inaugurated in November 2022, with the drilling and construction of two deep wells, installation of a 10km pipeline, two generators and two submersible pumps, three water points and one 25 cubic meter elevated water storage facility. The water comes from two bore holes and flows into reservoirs, yielding 12.5 litres per second, and reaching populations which are severely deprived of water. Yet frequent interruptions to supply due to fuel scarcity had been a concern. Fortunately, the town water authorities and the Regional Water Bureau are solving the fuel problem and even increasing the number of hours of operation of the system. They have also requested that the electric power authority supply and install an electric line and transformer connected to the project, at government expense. Hence the Assosa water project is a good example of successful multi-stakeholder partnership. It also embodies The Pharo Foundation’s focus on sustainability beyond the life of a project: indeed, the Foundation has now transferred all the responsibilities of ownership and safeguarding of infrastructure to the Assosa town water supply authority.