Empowering Rural Communities with Innovative Water Solutions

About the Project

The YES Amhara project has been underway since 2021 and is being implemented in two phases. The first phase, running from 2021 to 2023, focuses on two zones: Waghemira and North Gondar. The second phase, which is currently in progress, spans from 2024 to 2026 and expands to include three additional zones: Central Gondar, South Gondar, and East Gojjam, along with thirteen districts within the Amhara National Regional State. The primary objective of the project is to establish a well-functioning and regulated market for post-construction Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services, thereby enhancing year-round access to safe, reliable, and affordable drinking water. 

The project aims to achieve its objectives by facilitating the establishment of youth-led private sector enterprises and formalizing Water Users' Associations (WASHCOs). This approach promotes sustainable relationships between these entities, enabling them to effectively respond to community demands for affordable post-construction WASH services. By encouraging community ownership and management through well-functioning WASHCOs and active participation, the project fosters an enabling environment for the provision of affordable and sustainable rural services. To achieve this, the project is cantered around three key outcomes:  

1. Viable rural businesses in the WASH sector (rural service) through enterprise development.  

2. Improved community ownership and management of WASH systems.  

3. Public and private sector actors have enhanced a conducive enabling environment that provides supporting functions for the delivery and productive use of affordable and sustainable rural utility services. 

Project Approaches 

The project implements a community-driven, market-based approach to transform rural water services by empowering communities and local youth enterprises (YEs) to manage and maintain their water systems, ensuring long-term sustainability and reliable access. Simultaneously, the project prioritizes gender and social equity  by actively engaging women and marginalized groups in YEs and WASHCOs through capacity building and inclusive practices. Furthermore, a conflict-sensitive project management approach, incorporating context analysis, Do-No-Harm principles, and strong partnerships, guides all interventions to mitigate potential tensions and ensure effective, context-appropriate implementation. 

Key Achievements as of December 2024 

Between 2021 and December 2024, our project has reached remarkable milestones across two phases. Here are some of the standout achievements that showcase our progress:  

• A total of 68 individuals (23 females) received training in life skills, business skills, entrepreneurial skills, technical skills, and apprenticeships. Each participant successfully obtained certifications, leading to the establishment of 13 YEs, which subsequently gained trade licenses to provide maintenance services and supply spare parts to the community.  
• These enterprises are responsible for the maintenance of 226 water schemes, resulting in benefits for approximately 276,055 individuals (including 98,433 females). The enterprises have generated approximately 25000 CHF from the maintenance of water schemes and the sale of spare parts.  
• Furthermore, 394 WASHCOs were legalised, 154 of which were accomplished through a scaling-up process. These WASHCOs collected around 37000 CHF for operation and maintenance activities and established connections with the enterprises to obtain necessary services.  
• In addition, a robust collaboration and partnership have been established and maintained with key implementing partners. A quadripartite directive was developed and submitted for approval to the regional administration office. Moreover, manuals for life skills, business skills, and entrepreneurship training have been drafted, along with model by-laws for enterprises and water users’ associations.

Impact and Future Plans 

The YES-A project has made significant strides in improving access to safe drinking water and sanitation in rural Ethiopia. By empowering youth and fostering community ownership, the project has created a sustainable model for rural services. Looking ahead, the project plans to continue supporting YEs and WASHCOs, enhance capacity-building efforts, and explore new business opportunities for YEs, such as liquid soap production.