Partnership Overview

The Cula river remains the only water system close to the population of Chikera town. During the rainy season, the river overflows, sweeping away everything in its path, and presents a high risk of drowning for adults and children who go there to fetch water. 

The water drawn from the Cula river comes from a spring which is near the lake. This spring brings water from the area around the Cula river and the people of Chikera come to collect this water using containers. This is not too difficult if there is no rain but during the rain, soil dirties the water and the people suffer tremendously. 

As a result of this, the population of Chikera suffer from various waterborne diseases. The Kasha-Bagira Health Zone regularly records many cases of dirty hand disease, diarrhoea, vomiting, typhoid fever, etc. The current situation of COVID-19 also complicates the health situation of this town which is affected both by poverty and a lack of water. As part of COVID-19 prevention the advice is that it is advisable to wash hands frequently which they are unable to do. The people of Chikera lack water for both drinking and sanitation for most of the year.  

Chikera is a quarter of the Kasha Municipality, in the rural area of the Bagira Commune. This municipality is one of the poorest areas and very isolated in Bagira Commune. Its population lives by traditional agriculture and still suffers from a lack of infrastructure like roads, health centres, hospitals, etc. The population of Kasha is around 16,570 inhabitants and its economy relies mainly on agriculture, livestock, small trade and fishing. 

History of Partnership

BHW's New Partnership Facilitator (NPF) has known Paulin since 2014 when he first visited Burundi and Paulin was working with our partner there, HAWODI (BUR01). He attended some of Paulin's training sessions and visited a number of projects with him. Since that time he has kept in touch. In 2015 Paulin shifted from Burundi back to the DR Congo because of his family and for work with a university. 

Paulin continued to communicate with BHW's NPF and kept him up-to-date with developments with ACLUP. It took another four years before BHW's NPF was able to visit in 2019 when he spent time with Paulin and the team understanding how the programme was set up and how it operated. Following that visit, and subsequent ongoing communication, in June 2020 BHW's Executive approved commencing a micro-loan project with ACLUP (DRC08).  

Early in 2021 Paulin presented the need of this community in Chikera to us and in late June BHW's Executive approved funding this water project. 

Beneficiaries

The immediate beneficiaries of this project will be 500 households in the eastern part of the town of Chikera. The population residing in this area walk miles to fetch water despite the risk as currently there is only one water point nearby. The number of people benefitting from this would be in the vicinity of 4,700.  

What We Like About The Partnership

It meets an obvious need and will be a great encouragement to the community.
ACLUP has developed a strong network amongst the churches in the area and they will be the main contact points in the community.
We are already partnering with ACLUP and Paulin. They are doing OK despite the issues of COVID-19.

Key People

Leadership Profile

Paulin Murhimanya Bashombana was born 1978 in the city of Bukavu. He holds a Masters degree in Business Administration, and a Bachelor's degree in Administrative and Economic Sciences. He is a lecturer at different universities in Burundi and DR Congo and a founding member of the ACLUP. Paulin is married with five children, two daughters and three boys. 

Paulin has a good knowledge of the problems of the population of the Great Lakes (Burundi, Rwanda and DR Congo) and has conducted several trainings for vulnerable women in regard to loan programs in various organizations in Burundi and South Kivu. In particular, he was employed by HAWODI in Burundi as a part-time financial director from 2011 up to 2015. 

As a member of ACLUP he is in charge of Administration and Finances (full time). 

Other People Involved

All the staff of ACLUP are volunteers and are involved in a full-time capacity. 

Matena Bongomba, Jean Paul (right):  Jean Paul is the President of the Board and coordinates all the activities of the organization. He is driven by a big heart to help Christians get out of poverty. He is one of the founding members who had the vision of helping others by creating the Christian Association in the Fight Against Poverty. 

Ntabola Babwine, Patrick: Patrick is involved as the Projects Director. Together with Jean Paul they identify needs and guide the projects for the good of the beneficiaries. He oversees the setting up new projects when required. Patrick is a journalist by profession and obtained his Bachelors degree in Organization's Communication.    

Ciza Rusaki, Audrey: Audrey is responsible for Training, Follow up and Evaluation. He visits the activities of the members in the entire province wherever they are. Audrey has graduated university with a Bachelor in Agronomic Sciences.  

Asifiwe Walamire, Esperance: Esperance is the Treasurer of ACLUP. Every week when members are contributing, she is there to collect the money paid, and does transactions by distributing loans to those in need under the supervision of Paulin. 

Vision And Annual Strategy

Vision 

Their overall objective is to reduce mortality from waterborne diseases in the Chikera neighbourhood.

There are four objectives:
- Providing the population with clean and safe water;
- Fighting against dirty hands diseases;
- Enabling the population to fight COVID-19 well by hand washing campaign;
- Bringing the community together. 

Strategy

To provide a 10,000 litre water tank for the use of the people of Chikera. The tank will be positioned about 100 metres from the river to limit the need for people to go into the river and mitigate contamination. 

This is a one-off development project. The local people, overseen by ACLUP personnel, will be responsible to maintain the project. 

Annual Budget

A one-off amount of US$13,750 is required which will cover:
1) Digging and ground work for the tank, filter and spring       
2) Sand, stone, steel for concrete construction   
3) Tank build plus filter and water source works   
4) Cement                                                         
5) Pipes, brackets, glue etc