We're excited to share the first progress report we received from our partners at charity: water, highlighting the early impact of the water project we’re helping to fund in Ethiopia.

We’ve always been committed to supporting organizations that make a meaningful difference—and seeing these updates firsthand is both humbling and deeply inspiring. It's a powerful reminder that when we come together as a community, our collective efforts can help bring clean, safe drinking water to those who need it most.

Scroll down to read the full report and see the tangible progress being made—thanks in part to your support.

We are so excited to share your first Progress Report!

In the second half of 2022, you made a generous gift to charity: water to provide clean water for people in Ethiopia. We are thrilled to tell you that progress is underway. Soon, clean and safe drinking water will bring transformative and lasting change into people’s lives, and we can’t say thank you enough.

Your gift was sent to our local partner in January, and right now, we’re about six months into our 21-month timeline. This preparation period is crucial for each project’s success and sustainability. Our partners have been hard at work obtaining construction permits, purchasing supplies, and collaborating with community members. Community engagement is especially important at this stage, as it creates a sense of ownership and pride in the completed water project.

We’ll have more updates for you soon, and we can’t wait to share them with you. Thank you again for believing in the same future we do — one in which everyone has access to clean and safe water!

ABOUT IRC

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) was founded in New York in 1933 through a committee led by Albert Einstein. Today, IRC works in more than 40 countries and responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

The IRC began working in Ethiopia in 2000 and continues to work in regions where water is often available but unsafe to drink. In response, they primarily build spring protection systems. Water can then be accessed either at the site of the spring box or through a gravity-fed piped system. They use a community-driven Participatory Learning and Action approach that encourages communities to identify and analyze their water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) issues. Communities then develop an action plan and implement the solutions that best suit their needs with IRC’s support.

PROGRESS TO DATE

Your funds were sent to our local partner in January, and the following six months are considered the planning stages of project implementation. Preparation is one of the most important stages of the process. Our partner uses this time to assess and select which communities or schools will receive water points based on factors such as geography, need, community interest, the risk of overlap with other organizations, and the availability of spare parts for future repairs. Once a school or community is determined, water point management training begins and construction materials are transported to the site.

WHAT’S NEXT?

In the next few months, the construction of spring protection systems and piped systems will accelerate. Once construction is complete, IRC will test the water quality and hand the projects over to the community for ongoing maintenance and management. Meanwhile, IRC will coordinate training covering topics such as sustainability, sanitation, and hygiene. We can’t wait to share even more details in your next report!

DID YOU KNOW?

Currently, the IRC is implementing WASH projects and programs in eight regions of Ethiopia. Their work prioritizes community engagement, sustainability, equity, inclusion, and building evidence through dedicated learning. To further their sustainability efforts, the IRC strives to use locally sourced materials and supplies whenever possible. This practice minimizes transportation requirements for materials, which in turn reduces the carbon footprint of each project and supports the local economy.

FOR SHARING

Let people know about your project! We drafted this message specifically for sharing on social media.

“Our first water project update has arrived! The International Rescue Committee, one of charity: water’s local partners, has officially started construction on the project(s) we helped sponsor in Ethiopia. We can’t wait for people to have the clean and safe drinking water they deserve.”

charitywater.org/sponsor