Millions of Ethiopians gain access to clean water and sanitation facilities

Finland has supported the construction of sustainable and reliable water systems. At the same time, this has contributed to local decision-making, the status of women and the inclusion of persons with disabilities in society.

Pawe Woreda, Ethiopia. Photo: Tapio Niemi

Between 1994 and 2022, around 5.4 million Ethiopians gained access to clean water in their communities thanks to cooperation between Finland and Ethiopia. Water services have also been provided to 1,500 schools and 1,300 health centres. This benefited more than 1.2 million pupils, teachers and healthcare workers, and more than 800,000 of them also gained access to improved sanitation.

Between 2021 and 2026, a total of 3,816 water systems have been built and 925 restored in communities, schools and health centres. benefiting around 1.2 million rural residents.

The COWASH project, which began in 2011, is a community-based project in which local communities, schools and health centres are responsible for implementing their water supply and sanitation projects. The project also involves people with disabilities in the planning, implementation and maintenance of water and sanitation services. They have learned about societal decision-making and improved their self-esteem in the process.

Between 2021 and 2024, Finland also supported a national OneWASH programme which reached around 2.4 million urban and rural residents.

Background

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, 52 per cent of Ethiopia’s population had access to at least basic water services in 2022, compared to only 18 per cent in 2000. Easily accessible water points are especially important for population groups such as rural women, who may otherwise have to spend several hours fetching household water. 

According to the WHO, nearly 20 million Ethiopians suffer from a physical or mental disability or illness that diminishes their quality of life. The majority live in poverty without a safety net. Societal attitudes are also often negative: people with disabilities are rarely talked about, and a disabled child may be considered a source of shame.  

Support and funding

COWASH operates in 104 districts across seven regions. Finland’s share of the project’s funding has varied between 40 and 50 per cent, with the remainder coming from the Ethiopian government and village communities.

Finland has supported water supply and sanitation services in Ethiopia through the COWASH programme (COWASH IV 2021–2026, EUR 22.2 million) and through a sector programme (CWA II, 2019–2025, EUR 4 million). Both programmes make part of the national OneWASH programme.

Read more