ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Getachew Gemechu, a 25-year-old father of two, lives in a small, arid town in central Ethiopia, an area known for water scarcity that affects the livelihoods of agrarian community members.
In what looks like an oasis in the area, Gemechu's backyard farm is teeming with life, growing a variety of fruit plants, including avocado, mango, banana, and guava. They thrive alongside a selection of vegetables in the yard.
Gemechu said in a recent interview with Xinhua that access to safe water sources is "absolutely essential" for community members to grow fruits and vegetables and raise livestock, as the Melka community, located on the outskirts of Dukem Town, about 33 km east of Addis Ababa, the country's capital, is mainly dependent on agriculture.
"For years, the limited access to water had put our community in a difficult situation. We had to spend hours traveling to a distant stream, which cost us precious time, energy, and money," he said.
The challenges of finding a reliable water source meant that agricultural activities in the area were largely confined to the rainy seasons. "We have been yearning for a long-term solution to our water problem," Gemechu said.
The young father noted that the water shortage he and his fellow community members have endured for years is now "a thing of the past," thanks to an innovative project by the China Foundation for Rural Development (CFRD) and its partner Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group Co., Ltd. (XCMG).
His family is one of 39 households in the Melka community that have been benefitting from water cellars built in their backyards.
"The newly-built water cellar facility collected a good amount of water during the recent rainy season, and we have been using the stored water for the past few months," said Gemechu.
Gemechu's relief and happiness were echoed by his wife, Ake Adugna, who also emphasized the importance of the project in providing a better future for their family and ensuring food security in the area.
"Fetching water from the river was an exhausting task. This water cellar has eased our struggle by providing reliable access to clean water in our backyard," said the 20-year-old mother.
Tsegab Demeke, project officer at CFRD Ethiopia, said the early harvests from the project are already showing improvements in the livelihoods of community members.
"The project is changing their lives in many ways. Students used to miss school to help their families collect water, walking two to three kilometers a day, sometimes several times a day. This project has helped to address the problem," Demeke said.
The CFRD, which has been implementing the water cellar project in cooperation with the XCMG, has so far delivered more than 200 water cellars, providing safe water sources to over 12,000 vulnerable community members in arid parts of Ethiopia, according to Yin Qian, director of the CFRD Ethiopia Office.
With Ethiopia's multiple rainy seasons, community members can collect and store the rainwater during each rainy season for household, farming, and gardening use.
The project is the latest manifestation of the CFRD's continuous contribution to the area. The fundation has since 2021 implemented various projects at the Obay Primary School, on the outskirts of Dukem, including a school feeding program, donation of school supplies through the Panda Packs Project, and solar lights, benefitting both the students and the wider community.
CFRD officials said the water cellars were designed with sustainability in mind, using renewable and environmentally friendly construction methods.
Tamiru Tolosa, another member of the Melka community, voiced his hope that similar projects will be implemented to help others in need of life-changing interventions.
"They (CFRD) have made such a positive difference in our lives. We cannot thank them enough," Tolosa added. ■
