Access to clean water was the community’s top priority in both
villages Zahana works with. Until 2005, all water used for
drinking, cooking, and other purposes came from two communal
water holes and a nearby river. Women and children carried water
in buckets back to the village In 2006 the community of
Fiadanana built their own water system. It pipes clean water
from the mountains into the village - over more than 1.5 miles
(2.5 km)! From a large storage tank in the village, it is
distributed to seven communal faucets. The community contributed
sand, stones and their labor (digging trenches, laying pipe) to
the project. Zahana bought the pipes, cement, and materials not
locally available as well as hired water engineers, who lived in
Fiadanana for two months directing the project and teaching the
villagers how to maintain the system. The system is still
working without any problems in 2010. Until October 2005: 2
communal water holes and a river were the only source of water
for the village.(photos below text