Potable water in Guinea: advancing children’s rights for survival

Access to potable water is one of the main challenges in many areas of West Africa, leading to high levels of diarrhoeal disease and child mortality – Guinea is no exception.

Supported by Plan, the district of Gbandou, a rural area in the south of the country, bordering Sierra Leone and Liberia, made an important step forward to ensuring potable water for its population. 1,700 inhabitants of all 5 villages in the area benefited from the pipe and tap system, which provides water from a remote source. Villagers worked hard to make the project happen and provided local materials and labour.

Villagers reported an improvement of the health situation in the area thanks to their new access to clean water and a decrease in diarrhoea infections. But the project did more than just reducing illnesses, it also reduced the workload of women and children who do not have to go far to fetch water anymore. To make sure that the new system is maintained, Plan Guinea supported the community to plan for maintenance of the system and ensuring supply of spare parts.

Local villagers view 

Koumba K. housewife, member of management committee of the terminal fountain said: "Before we were forced to drink from the same source with which we washed our clothes. It was far away and gave many people diarrhoea”.

A pupil, Finda commented: "At the beginning, we did not have clean water. Unfortunately, many among us had stomach pains and other illnesses meaning we would miss out on school. Since we have had these taps, we do not have any more stomach pains and we have water to wash our hands after using the toilet, to clean the toilets and the classrooms at the end of each week”.

This new water system has helped many to see the importance of clean drinking water and to experience its benefits. This knowledge is essential in order to be able to raise a safe and healthy family.