Water in East Flores: Legacy for Generations
In 2007, children and communities in four villages in East Flores were overjoyed because, for the first time, clean water was available in their villages. Previously, the water they could access was not fit for drinking. Some villages had cloudy and salty water, while in others, the water contained oil and dirt. The difficulty of accessing clean water not only impacted health but also child protection. Children often experienced violence from parents because they did not fetch water for the whole family. Children's playtime and study time were also cut short because they had to walk nearly 2 KM to fetch water from wells with unsafe conditions. Therefore, the presence of clean water in the villages has successfully changed the lives of children and communities in East Flores, until now.
"The clean water facilities, which collaborated with Wahana Visi Indonesia in 2006, thank God, until now, we in the four villages are members of the clean water management, and there are also water committees in the villages. Currently, we pay a clean water fee of RP 7,000 per household. The water is still flowing smoothly to this day, although there are changes in water flow hours. But children and communities still access clean water enough for their needs," said Tarsisius, one of the Village Heads who used to be assisted by WVI during the WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) project implementation in East Flores.
The construction of the clean water network in East Flores 19 years ago has a unique story. Water is channeled using a piping method of approximately 26 KM. The natural spring is located in the mountainous area, while the village area is near the coast. In addition to the very long distance, this process involves four villages at once, increasing the potential for inter-village conflict. This can affect the construction and maintenance process of the clean water network. However, these challenges can be overcome due to the community's excellent sense of ownership. Sustainability is also guaranteed by the existence of the Epu Lima Clean Water Management, which manages the maintenance of the clean water network for these four villages. Epu Lima is a community based organisation who responsible for water facility maintenance.
"At that time, we needed approximately one year to build the organisation in the community. After there was organisation in the community, for example the water committee in village level, we started planning for the construction of clean water facilities. The work was done by the community in a daily rotation system, from village to village, for over a year," said Maximus, a former staff member of WVI's operational office in East Flores.
During the construction process, the village heads and water committee administrators arranged the community's mutual cooperation schedule. Who would work, which part they would work on, and supervise whether the construction was in accordance with technical directions. Wahana Visi Indonesia supported the construction materials and bringing technical experts.
The clean water network, which is still maintained today, is the result of the efforts of the Epu Lima Clean Water Management and the water committees of the four villages, who continue to maintain and comply with the maintenance signs stated in the AD ART (Articles of Association and Bylaws). In addition to mutual cooperation in building the facilities, the committee also cooperates in gathering community aspirations regarding the maintenance of the clean water network. All the results of discussions and decisions made in a series of meetings with the community are stated in the AD ART. This AD ART is the guide for the committee and the community in case of damage, difficulty accessing water, or community dissatisfaction.
"In 2007, after the construction was completed, one neighbourhood had one tap point. Then, in the process, from 2013 until now, with the existing fees, we started to increase the number of tap points. Now, one neighbourhood has two to three points," said Kanisius, the head of the water committee in one of the villages. He also explained that the local government appreciated the water committee's excellent performance in maintaining the clean water network in the village. For this good work, the government provided assistance to expand the water tap points in the village so that one house could have one tap point. In addition to receiving assistance from the local government, using self-help funds, the community built additional reservoirs.
"When clean water was available in the village, we then continued to trigger Clean and Healthy Living Behaviours for children. Children can bathe every day, learn to brush their teeth for the first time, and start diligently washing their hands with soap," said Peggy, Wahana Visi Indonesia staff who was the project leader for the clean water network construction in East Flores at that time. In addition to children living cleaner, mothers in East Flores also started to use their home gardens to plant vegetables. So far, this has been difficult to do because the gardens always lack water. After clean water was available in the village, the gardens could be watered sufficiently, so they grew well. Mothers in East Flores could pick and consume vegetables from the gardens at home.
Access to water for children and communities in four villages in East Flores is a valuable legacy. Water has triggered sustainable change, at home and in the community. Thank you to the children and communities in East Flores who continue to maintain this water access diligently and faithfully. May clean water access in other villages in Indonesia also be realised soon, so that children and communities live clean and healthy lives.
Author: Mariana Kurniawati (Communication Executive)
