In Focus

Earthquake-affected persons are more likely to have inadequate access to sanitation services and safe water, as well as poor hygiene practices, a combination which promotes sickness through contaminated water. Church World Service thus assists the community to obtain better access to sanitation facilities and safe water.

Hygiene is one of essential factors to a person’s health. However, people in Sungai Limau Subdistrict do not have adequate access to sanitation services thus they do not practice proper hygiene. They defecate in their backyard, river, or pond.

Church World Service strives to provide access to better sanitation for the earthquake-affected people in Sungai Limau Sub-district, Padang Pariaman District.  Following the completion of nine communal latrines serving around 200 tidak people in three villages of Sungai Limau, CWS continues to assist the community in constructing another 27 communal latrines consisting of 88 stalls that will serve 1900 people in the sub-district.

Most of the construction was performed by the villagers themselves. “There were 50 people who did the initial construction work,” said Pak Arifin, one of the leaders in Durian Daun Village, Sungai Limau Sub-district.

We are grateful that CWS gave us assistance. We will take good care of the latrine so we can use it for a long time - Pak Arifin
(CWS )

Besides the materials that CWS has given, the villagers of Durian Daun also use old concrete bricks from their damaged houses to build the latrine. Pak Arifin pointed out that it only took 7 days to complete the construction.

The villagers can now use the latrines. Yet, some of them still go to the river to defecate. Therefore, it is essential to promote hygiene in these villages.

Wells and rivers are main sources of water in Sungai Limau Sub-district, Padang Pariaman District. After the earthquake struck West Sumatra, most of wells were contaminated with mud, forcing residents to rely on the unsafe river water. Safe water is indispensable to people’s well-being and survival.

People in certain areas have had to rely on the rivers for water even before the earthquake took place. 
 
Ibu Ema was one of people who filtered sand from river water. Having murky well water, she had to walk 1 km to the river to get the water for drinking and cooking.

I hope CWS will not stop water trucking so we wil always have safe water to drink
(CWS)

“I am glad that CWS delivers clean water every 2 days to this hamlet,” said Ibu Ema, who lives with the 10 other members of the family in her damaged house.

To ensure the earthquake affected people get their access to clean water, Church World Service continues to conduct water trucking in Sungai Limau Subdistrict. 56,000 liters of safe water are distributed daily for consumption of six villages.

In addition to water trucking, CWS has cleaned 132 wells in 7 villages in Sungai Limau and Nan Sabaris Sub-districts. Another 23 are currently being cleaned.

“My well was dug until it reached the sand layer so the water is now very clean,” said Nazar Bua, a villager of Kampung Tengah Village of Nan Sabaris Sub-district. The water is used for drinking, washing and cooking.

Not everyone has their own well; some went to river to get water and others shared their well with neighbors. Thus, CWS assists villagers who want to build their own well. CWS provides materials and the villagers contribute labor to the well construction.

Church World Service works together with the earthquake affected community to provide better access to sanitation and safe water. [IS/12/2009]