Liberia: 170,000 Residents in Nimba to benefit from WASH Project

NIMBA COUNTY – An American faith-based charity, Living Water International Liberia has launched a five year Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Project in Nimba County, Liberia.

The WASH Project targets over One Hundred Seventy Thousand (170,000) persons in Garr Bain District, Nimba county.

The program was held Wednesday as part of a One Day Stakeholders Workshop at the United Liberia Inland Central Church in Ganta city. 

Speaking to WASH Journalists during the ceremony, the Country Director of Living Water International Liberia, Austin Nyaplue said the project is part of efforts to empower beneficiaries through improved WASH activities.

He indicated that the project will ensure that the WASH needs of the people will be addressed adequately through his organization’s intervention in Garr Bain District.

Mr. Nyaplue noted that beneficiaries and local authority are key to the implementation and sustainability of the new WASH Project in Nimba county.

The LWI-Liberia Country Director asserted that Garr Bain was selected after a careful survey of the WASH needs of inhabitants of the District.

When quizzed why Garr Bain District was selected,  Mr. Nyaplue said the District was considered after a survey conducted, revealing that residents of Garr Bain were  in desperate need of WASH facilities.

Mr. Nyaplue disclosed that the project will run from 3 to 5 years with estimated funding at over three million United States Dollars.

Also making remarks at the launch and the stakeholders workshop, WASH actors in the county pledged their unflinching support to the charity efforts in creating an enabling WASH environment for the beneficiaries.

They commended Living Water Int’l Liberia for the initiative and promised to work with the charity to ensure the full implementation of the project.

For their part, residents of Garr-Bain District described the WASH intervention of the faith based charity as important in transforming their lives.

The residents noted that the WASH Project will go a long way in protecting them from water borne diseases, and promised to take ownership by ensuring that the facilities are sustained.

The ceremony brought together several local WASH stakeholders from the county and national level.

At the start of the workshop, presentations were made on the followings topics:  “Living Water History & Overall Objective; Baseline Survey; LWI Theory of Change (Flourish); and Creating and strengthening an enabling environment for Sustainable WASH Services”.

Others include: “The Role of the Government at sub national level for enhancing the sustainability aspect of WASH services; and Experience sharing on WASH in Liberia”.

At the close of the one-day exercise, the participants proceeded for the official consecration of the local Offices of Living Water International Liberia in Ganta, Nimba county.

In the quest of honoring God, Living Water International Liberia has provided clean and safe drinking water for communities, public and private institutions through drilling and construction of boreholes, rehabilitation of existent water points and conducting water quality testing in rural communities within Liberia.

Over the period of five years’ operating in Margibi county, LWI-Liberia had drilled over 259 new wells, rehabilitated 236 existent wells and established 212 Community WASH Committees with 1,060 committee members trained in various topics on sustainability in various communities.

Living Water Int’l Liberia had also worked with communities that practiced poor hygiene and sanitation, including massive open defecation which have exposed them to lots of waterborne and other common sanitation diseases. Most of these communities, especially in Margibi county are now Open Defecation free (ODF) and sustaining improved hygiene and sanitation practices. Thanks to Living Water International Liberia.

Living Water International exists to demonstrate the love of God by helping communities acquire desperately needed clean water and to experience living water the Gospel of Jesus Christ–which alone satisfies the deepest thirst.