Published in October 2024

Read the story of Wale Guri, a farmer from southern Ethiopia whose accomplishments from her community's sand dam project are starting to change her fortunes and improve her family's quality of life.

Wale Guri, a 25-year-old married woman, lives in Tulungo Village, Morgala Kebele (sub-district) in southern Ethiopia, with her husband and young son. Her family, like many in the area, relies on agro-pastoralism, depending on livestock rearing and subsistence farming. However, for years, Wale struggled with the enormous burden of household work, particularly the gruelling task of collecting water.

"It used to take me 6-7 hours a day to fetch water" Wale recalls. "This was especially hard during the dry season when water was even scarcer... A typical day for me involved walking for hours to collect water, often carrying heavy containers up steep hills." She explains: "There were days when I feared for my safety on the road, and once at the water source, I had to wait in line for long periods."

Beyond the physical burden, Wale’s family and community faced hardship and health challenges due to the water often being dirty, leading to frequent illnesses. "My family and others in the village were constantly sick, suffering from waterborne diseases that lasted for weeks... this affected our ability to work and care for our families," she shares. 

Conflict over water was another constant struggle. "During the dry season, fights would break out between people in our village and those from neighbouring communities," Wale recalls. "It was stressful and dangerous, especially for the men who went out to collect water for the livestock."

The burden however has begun to lift thanks to a sand dam project with Sand Dams Worldwide, in collaboration with Action for Development (AFD), nearing completion (and already providing water) in Tulungo Village. 

"The sand dam will be life-changing for us... I will no longer have to spend hours fetching water, and the water we collect will be clean." 

Wale Guri, member of Tulungo Village, southern Ethiopia.

Along with water access, Wale was supplied with a drought-tolerant crop variety, melkassa maize - to which she is now cultivating on her 0.25-hectare plot of land. In addition, she received seedlings for mango, avocado, papaya, and moringa, banana, and the cuttings of elephant grass. "I’m excited to grow these crops, which will not only provide nutritious food for my family but also give us an opportunity to sell any surplus at the market," she explains. 

Through the project Wale will also learn about other activities such as beekeeping, poultry farming, and vegetable cultivation. Wale is eager to expand her farming skills and diversify her family’s sources of income. "Learning about beekeeping and raising poultry will open new doors for us. I’m already thinking about how this will improve our income and allow us to save for my son’s education."

Comparing the past with the present she says: "Now, the water will be close by and clean. It will give me back so much time that I will be able to spend with my family and on our farm."

She also shares her happiness with the health improvement her household will experience: "My son will no longer get sick from drinking dirty water, and our whole family will be much healthier... We look forward to the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) training that we will receive which will also be invaluable." 

For Wale, the greatest community achievement has been the way the villagers have come together to manage the sand dam. "We’ve learned to work as a team to ensure that everyone has access to water," she says proudly. "It has brought us closer as a community."

Looking ahead, Wale is optimistic about the future. "With the water and agricultural support, I’m confident that we can continue to improve our lives."

Wale is deeply grateful to Sand Dams Worldwide and AFD for their support. "They have helped us overcome so many challenges and given us the tools to build a better life. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished already, and I’m excited to see what the future holds for our community."

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