World Vision Rwanda launches water sanitation and hygiene project

World Vision Rwanda has launched a $20m, five-year water sanitation and hygiene project in the Karongi District of Rwanda.

The project covers nine districts of the country and aims to provide clean water and sanitation to communities.

The launch of the project saw the inauguration of a 17km water pipeline in Karongi, constructed with the assistance of the Korea International Cooperation Agency.

The primary objective of the programme is to reduce the mortality rate for children under five in the areas covered by the agency, by providing 95% access to safe water supply, 80% access to improved sanitation and 80% good hygiene practices.

Around 675,000 people are expected to benfit from the programme, including local residents, an army camp, a police station, a primary and a high school, and health centres, besides others.

World Vision Rwanda national director George Gitau told allAfrica that the initiative is consistent with the organisation’s efforts to achieve the goal of providing safe water to everyone.

Besides leading the water sanitation and hygiene project in Rwanda, the agency is also involved in the construction of the Mukura Rubengera water supply system.

According to Gitau, the Rwandan Government is working with other development partners to increase access to safe water from 71% now to 100% by 2017.