The project was to be implemented in the relocated communities of Hambantota, covering a total of 5,000 households (approx. 20,000 persons) over a 3-month period, beginning as soon as the project was approved. The project was planned to consist of the following primary activities:
* Installation of one thousand water tanks and fittings (capacity of each tank is 2,000 litres) at a ratio of 1 tank for each five relocated households.
* Provision of chlorine to ensure that water brought by the water bowsers to the relocated households is safe.
* Provision of 50 local hand pumps to the relocated households that will be utilizing existing wells at their new household locations.
* Provision of 25 litre water containers for each of the 5,000 relocated households to ensure that water taken from the water storage tanks is kept in a secure and sealed container, preventing contamination.
* Provision of basic training in personal hygiene, water storage and potable water techniques for the relocated households.
The project achieved and surpassed the above target activities as outlined below:
* Installation of one thousand five hundred water tanks and fittings (capacity of each tank is 2,000 litres) at a ratio of 1 tank for each ten relocated households, thereby ensuring water coverage for a total of 15,000 households across Hambantota district.
* Provision of chlorine to ensure that water brought by the water bowsers to the relocated households is safe.
* Provision of 50 local hand pumps to the relocated households that will be utilizing existing wells at their new household locations.
* Provision of 25 litre water containers for each of the 15,000 participating relocated households to ensure that water taken from the water storage tanks is kept in a secure and sealed container, preventing contamination.
* Provision of six water bowsers (tractors, 2,000 litre tanks, and submersible pumps) for the local Water Board. These tractors are now being used on a daily basis to transport water from the water sources in Hambantota district to the target households.
* Provision of basic training in personal hygiene, water storage and potable water techniques for the children of the 15,000 relocated households. For the health education seminars, ADRA used volunteer nursing students from a nursing school in Kandy to conduct seminars in the local schools across Hambantota district. The pupils participated in before and after testing, and received health education messages through a variety of media, including puppet shows, plays, discussion groups and role play exercises. The health education was also conducted with parent and community groups, and through these seminars approx. 85% of the target population households were reached.
* Provision of 15 water disinfection units among participating communities with funding and support from other partners, including Water Missions International and Variety Children €™s Lifeline. These units were distributed following a geological and hydrological survey by scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey working with ADRA Sri Lanka personnel. Each unit can produce up to 50,000 litres of clean water per day, and they are being used to ensure a reliable local supply for the target communities, reducing their dependence on external support from water bowsers. Each community has received training in the use and maintenance of the units, and local community members are now managing the units with technical support from ADRA. Each unit is worth approx. 11,000 USD.
The primary goal of the project has been achieved, as there has not been an outbreak of water-related illness among the target population. This is due to a number of key factors, of which the most important were as follows:
1. The rapid and effective implementation of the project.
2. The continually productive relationship between the Government Agent for Hambantota district, ADRA and the local community was maintained through regular consultation and project evaluation.
3. Successful project management by ADRA Sri Lanka in partnership with ADRA Switzerland.
The above activities were designed to build on the existing water supply infrastructure of the target region, providing the two critical components of the existing system: water tanks and containers for the relocated households; and installing local hand pumps for the relocated households to use wherever possible in local wells, reducing ongoing dependence on the browsers. The project was designed to enable the partner communities to operate once again following the Tsunami disaster with the water infrastructure mechanisms that were in operation before the disaster.
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