Health

2.1 billion people around the world lack access to safe drinking water, while 4.4 billion people do not have access to adequate sanitation facilities. As a consequence, children under the age of five in particular suffer from illnesses that are often fatal. Every year, 361,000 children under the age of five die from diarrhoea.* In many of CmiA’s project regions in sub-Saharan Africa, poor hygiene conditions are common. Furthermore, the health care systems in most of these countries are not as developed as they should be, especially when dealing with the aforementioned conditions, resulting in the spread of illnesses that are frequently fatal. Two of the main reasons that many regions still have an alarmingly high rate of infant death are contaminated water and poor hygiene: the issues that are addressed by CmiA’s local projects.
So-called WASH projects (water, sanitation, and hygiene) involve the construction of sanitation facilities, the training of the local population in basic hygiene measures, and the installation of boreholes to supply villages with safe drinking water. These measures help prevent serious diseases and can be lifesaving in areas with very basic health care.
Alongside these WASH-projects, the construction and equipping of health centres also contributes to raising the general level of healthcare in project areas.
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BURKINA FASO
- WASH (in cooperation with the cotton company Faso Coton) – 2018/2019
Lack of water and extreme drought stalk Burkino Faso. Only 0.1 percent of the country is covered with water. People, most often women, have to walk very long distance to get to the nearest source of clean water. Often, they only get access to only rainwater or pools of water, which results in the spread of diseases. In cooperation with Faso Coton, water pumps were built in two villages. As a result, about 3,450 people gained access to clean drinking water. In addition, there are training sessions conducted in the villages covering the topics of drinking water, hygiene, and diseases. - Construction of water pumps (in cooperation with the cotton company Faso Coton) – 2020/21
In Burkina Faso, the drinking water supply rate in rural areas is only at 65%. For this reason, water pumps were built in the villages of Wayalgui and Lado. These water pumps can save 79 families the four to ten kilometre walk to the nearest water source.
- WASH (in cooperation with the cotton company Faso Coton) – 2018/2019
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CȎTE D‘IVOIRE
- WASH (in cooperation with the cotton company COIC) – 2016/17
Construction of four boreholes providing a better supply of clean drinking water and reducing the time and labour needed for carrying water—supplying a total of 5,160 inhabitants across four villages. - Health Centre (in cooperation with the cotton company SECO) – 2017
The infirmary in the village of Ouangolodoudou was expanded and provided with equipment. In addition to the ginnery workers and their family members, the rest of the regional population (a total of around 5,000 people) are now able to benefit from the facility. - WASH (in cooperation with the cotton company COIC and retailer Bonprix) – 2018/2019
The construction of five boreholes at five primary schools across four villages improved the supply of clean drinking water while reducing the time and effort needed to carry water. Seven primary schools received three latrines each, making a total of 21 latrines built across four villages to improve general hygiene in and around the schools. In order to secure the long-term success of the project, training sessions on hygienic behaviour are held for schoolchildren and the village community. - Construction of water pumps (in cooperation with the cotton company Ivoire Coton) – 2019
The cotton company Ivoire Coton operates in many areas where no clean drinking water is available. During dry season, women have to walk long distances to rivers to fetch water. In addition to the time and physical effort required, the entire population suffers through poor water quality. In cooperation with Ivoire Coton, water pumps were therefore installed in the affected areas in 2019. Furthermore, awareness-raising workshops were held enabling farmers to maintain clean water supplies while construction of the pumps took place.
- WASH (in cooperation with the cotton company COIC) – 2016/17
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MOZAMBIQUE
- WASH (in cooperation with the cotton company Plexus, OTTO, CARE, the Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft (DEG), and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)) – 2015/16
In 20 villages located in the cotton-growing region of Cabo Delgado a total of 10 wells were repaired, 10 new wells were built, and sanitation facilities were constructed in 15 schools, benefitting around 5,000 pupils. Find out more here.
- WASH (in cooperation with the cotton company Plexus, OTTO, CARE, the Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft (DEG), and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)) – 2015/16
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TANZANIA
- Health Centre (in cooperation with the cotton company Alliance) – 2016
To reduce infant mortality and secure the supply of medicine and clean drinking water, the existing health service for the Kasoli community (about 16,000 inhabitants) was improved. - WASH (in cooperation with the cotton company Alliance) – 2017/2018
The construction of five boreholes and five systems for rainwater collection ensure clean drinking water is available for domestic and agricultural use in the municipality of Kasoli.
- Health Centre (in cooperation with the cotton company Alliance) – 2016
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ZAMBIA
- WASH (in cooperation with the cotton company NWK) – 2016-2018
Around 4,000 people in the region of Katete benefit from improved hygiene through the construction of four wells and 40 latrines.
- WASH (in cooperation with the cotton company NWK) – 2016-2018
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ZIMBABWE
- WASH (in cooperation with the cotton company Alliance, Welthungerhilfe, and OTTO Austria) – 2015-2017
Clean drinking water, toilets and about 10,000 hygiene ambassadors improve living conditions for the rural population in a total of 20 villages.
- WASH (in cooperation with the cotton company Alliance, Welthungerhilfe, and OTTO Austria) – 2015-2017
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CÔTE D’IVOIRE
- Construction of water pumps (in cooperation with the cotton company Ivoire Coton) – since July 2020
In many of the villages in the north of Côte d’Ivoire there is no permanent source of drinking water available. During the dry season, the problem is much more serious. During this time, the women who supply the households with water are forced to fetch it from rivers far away from their villages. In addition to the physical effort involved in the search for water, health problems often arise from consuming water from contaminated sources. To permanently improve access to clean drinking water for the rural population in disadvantaged areas, water pumps will be installed in five more villages. 8,601 villagers will benefit from this intervention, which will have a direct impact on the health of the population and the workload of women.
- Construction of water pumps (in cooperation with the cotton company Ivoire Coton) – since July 2020