Partnership Overview

The communities of the Kasha municipality near to Bukavu are in desperate need of safe water. In 2021 BHW partnered with ACLUP to successfully provide water for the Chikera community (DRC08a). The outcome was so successful that ACLUP would now like to continue providing water for more communities and they have asked for assistance to do this in two more villages in 2022. One is in the Bugoko/Chikera-Shabantu Community and this requires a 10,000-litre water tank, a retaining wall and a bridge, and the other is in the Nyamudawha Mushekere/Chikonyi Community and requires an 8,000-litre water tank. 

People from both communities must travel long distances to obtain water from dangerous locations. These two communities are about 6 kilometres apart. The water at both sites is contaminated and both locations are dangerous for those collecting water. Between the two locations more than 1,300 households will be served, this amounts to almost 10,000 people. 

Bugoko/Chikera-Shabantu Community
This community consists of around 700 households and in addition to construction of a water tank there is also a bridge that needs to be repaired. In this community the people obtain their water from a spring that produces about 20 litres of water per minute and flows into the Cula River, the same river as the previous project. The spring is in a small gorge 3-4 metres deep and it is difficult and dangerous to get down into the spring, especially in the rainy season. Compounding the issue is that the people have to cross the river and the current bridge is entirely inadequate. Often it is the job of the children to collect water and every day many children cross the bridge and almost every day someone is hurt while doing this. In this location the plan is to build a 10,000-litre water tank and filter, as well as a retaining wall and also a place for people to wash clothes so they do not contaminate the water. A safe wooden bridge will be built. This cost of this project is more than the second community as the location is further from the road and in difficult terrain. 

The population in this area comes from two tribal backgrounds: the Bugoko on the side of Chikera and the Mululi on the side of Chikonyi. This water source serves the population of these two neighbourhoods separated by the Cula River. On a social level, apparently in the old days, to find a wife it was necessary for the young men to go down to this water source to look for girls who came to draw water. There they would find a wife as they viewed the girls who came, and then alliances would be made between households. This spring is an important part of the social history of these people and is a symbol of the peaceful cohabitation between the two people groups who have been meeting there since 1957.

Nyamudawha Mushekere/Chikonyi Community
This community consists of around 600 households, and it is a simpler task here to build a water tank. The water source for this community is a spring but it is small and easily contaminated. The plan is to build a reservoir and an 8,000-litre water tank with a filter. This location is more accessible and easier to build than at the other location. The people travel about 2 kms to collect water from this source.   

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 water needs of the community in Chikera to us (DRC08a) which we funded in late June and then early in 2022 he approached us in regard to assisting a further two villages. 

Beneficiaries

The beneficiaries are the people of the wider Kasha area, specifically in the two above mentioned communities. This is around 1,300 households, between 8-10,000 people.  

What We Like About The Partnership

These are needy people and as has been seen from the previous project, there is an immediate positive benefit. 

This project is bringing the local churches together to serve their communities and there are spiritual outcomes in those churches as people in the community see the church in action. 

ACLUP maintains a close connection with the project during the construction phase, training the community, and with ongoing monitoring. 

The local people are activated and provide a lot of labour. 

These projects provide opportunity for other ministry. People become aware of the loan programme (DRC08) and into the future there is also opportunity for Foundations for Farming on a large scale. 

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 regarding loan programmes 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 responsible for Administration and Finances (full time). 

Other People Involved

All the leadership team 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 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 

The vision is to see the people of this community have access to safe drinking water, to reduce the incidence of water borne diseases, and mitigate the danger of collecting water. 

Strategy

To build two water tanks with filters for the community. Into the future this will result in better health, better attendance at schools, lower medical costs for families, and some children alive who would have been hurt or killed because of the current danger while collecting water. 

People will pay a small amount for their water, and this will be managed to ensure there is adequate funds available for maintenance of the tanks and filters. 

Annual Budget

The total amount required here is US$35,970. There are three components to this:

1) The building of a water tank, filter, bridge and laundry area for the Bugoko/Chikera-Shabantu Community: US$21,120

2) The building of a water tank for the Nyamudawha Mushekere/Chikonyi Community: US$12,870

3) To assist ACLUP with rental costs for an office for the operation of their whole organisation as they serve the people and communities in their focus area: US$1,980