A child walks home with a heavy tank on his head. The tank can contain 20 liters of dirty water collected from a stream in a valley floor: in the Gatsibo district this is what children do, every day. They do not have the time and energy to study, they are exposed to malaria infection, and of course they get chronic dysentery from drinking dirty water.

The Government of Rwanda has the goal to bring safe potable water to a maximum distance of 500* meters (the MLFM standard is 250 m) from every home by 2024.

The reasons are many but can be summarized as follows:

• to limit diseases caused by poor water quality in streams in valley floors: this is where people in rural areas get their water from
• to reduce the incidence of malaria
• to increase the primary schooling rate of children who now spend much of their time reaching the streams and carrying water to their village in heavy tanks
• to improve the quality of life of women who can use clean water at home for domestic uses

In 2016 we began the technical feasibility study of the Gatsibo Aqueduct System for the villages of Muhura, Bugarura, and Gasange. Several critical issues emerged:

1. Only 25% of the Muhura Aqueduct built in 1987 is still in operation. What needs to be done: maintenance of facilities in the valley floor and upgrade of the distribution network through the placement of 33 km of pipes and the construction of 61 public fountains, which will allow 7 schools and 1 health center to have clean and safe water forever for a population of 14,300 people.
2. The Bugarura aqueduct is too small compared to the current demand and has old or damaged pipelines. What needs to be done: upgrade of the facility by building 32 km of new pipelines and 47 new public fountains that will serve 15,000 people in the area.
3. 11,000 people living in the Gasange area have never had clean water or electricity. Mothers and children walk more than 30 minutes to Lake Muhazi to get dirty and contaminated water. What needs to be done: Construction of a power line, construction of 44.6 km of pipeline and 61 new public fountains.
4.  

In 2019, we started the construction of the Gatsibo Aqueduct System. Since then we have:

• completed the construction of all planned water supplies –
• excavated and laid nearly 45 km of pipelines
• constructed more than 60 fountains
• made connections to the District's Schools and Health Centers
• carried out pump laying and power line connection

Despite the lockdowns and various restrictions in Rwanda, constructions in Gatsibo continued on schedule. On February 2021 a new health emergency in Rwanda caused difficulties especially in Health Centers. MLFM purchased Personal Protective Equipment (masks, gloves, soap, disinfectant) and medication to treat covid-19 patients, helping containing the emergency in the District. Also, thanks to a small change in the schedule, we brought Water to the Muhura Health Center earlier than expected.

In three years we will bring Clean and Safe Water to 51,800 people by building 3 new aqueducts and rehabilitating two others.

The water system will bring water to 20 schools and 5 Health Centers throughout Gatsibo District.