ACHIEVEMENTS OF VILLAGE WATER AND SANITATION PROJECT HAILED

Safe water supply ensures personal hygiene

Cairo, August 7, 2005: A unique combination of community involvement, governmental initiative and outside resources was the formula that has brought safe drinking water, proper sanitation and hygiene education to some of Egypt's poorest villages. This was the central theme of a recent ceremony marking the completion of the Village Environmental Assistance Project (VEAP).

The ceremony – held at the offices of UNICEF Egypt -- brought together the various national and international partners that contributed to the development of the project over the past decade: the water companies of Fayoum, Beni Suef, and Minya Governorates, UNICEF, USAID, and several non-governmental and community organizations.

In remarks to the gathering, UNICEF Egypt Representative Dr. Erma Manoncourt said the VEAP had succeeded in providing safe drinking water and proper sanitation to nearly 500,000 people living in remote villages.

"What was interesting and exciting about this whole programme was that the community took it on," said Dr Manancourt. "It wasn’t a UNICEF project or a government project or a water company project, it became the communities' programme".

Mr. Taha Shahata, chairman of Beni Suef Water and Sanitation Company, said the project had begun with an integrated assessment of rural areas, including water, sanitation and hygiene, and environmental awareness. "We studied all the villages in each governorate, to determine which ones lacked services most."

The main structural elements of the VEAP were outlined by the chairman of Fayoum Water and Sanitation Company, Mr. Mahmoud Massoud. "We aimed to offer three separate but linked services: a safe water supply; improved household sanitation; and better awareness among the population about personal hygiene."

Every partner played a part: with funding and support from USAID, UNICEF undertook the provision of pipes connecting each community to the water network. The three Water Supply and Sanitary Drainage Companies organized various managerial aspects of the project including finance, contracting, and supervision. They also funded the construction of water distribution networks. Finally the Egyptian Boy Scouts and Girl Guides provided the manpower to dig the pit latrines in each home.

A key feature in the project's success was a so-called "revolving fund" set up within the water companies which allowed households to purchase water connections and pay back the cost in installments. As people paid back the installment, the fund was replenished and used to provide water connections to others.

Project Officer for Environment and Infrastructure for USAID Mamdouh Raslan hailed the VEAP's "remarkable" achievements, adding that the experience could serve as a model for reaching Egypt's most deprived and remote communities.

For further information please contact:

Youssef Seoud UNICEF, Water and Sanitation Officer
Tel: (202) 5265083 through 87
Fax: (202) 526-4218