Water and Sanitation in the Outer Islands of the
Republic of Kiribati (Phase I) - KIRIWATSAN I
Pictures by Marc Overmars, UNICEF Pacific
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FACTS Donor European Union, under European Development Fund, funding round 10 Assisted country Republic of Kiribati Coverage At least 70 villages in 16 outer islands of the Gilbert Group Partners MPWU, EU, UNICEF, MFED/NAO, MISA, MHMS, MoE, MELAD, AMAK, KANGO, KCCI, Kiribati Council of Churches, SPC, mayors, island councils, village leaders, community organizations and development cooperation partners and other UN agencies Duration 2 June 2011 to 6 April 2016 |
The overall objective of the project is to improve social and economic development and reduce poverty in the outer islands of Kiribati. The purpose of the project is to increase access to safe and sustainable water and sanitation and reduce water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)-related diseases in at least 70 of 139 villages in 16 islands of the Gilbert group. |
Fetching water from the Hospital well Nonouti
Photo by Marc Overmars, UNICEF Pacific |
Community Participation Mapping Kiribati
Photo by Marc Overmars, UNICEF Pacific |
The 1st Phase of the KIRIWATSAN Project implemented by UNICEF focuses on: • Availability and adequacy of ground- and rainwater ascertained and appropriate water and sanitation systems designed • Increased volume of rainwater safely harvested, stored and used • Enhanced capacity to install and sustain improved water and sanitation |
Higher-level results to which the project contributes
1. Global priorities: Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 1, 4, 5, and 7; Convention on the Rights of the Child Articles 6 and 24
2. Pacific priorities: (a) The Pacific Plan: Strategic Objectives: No.4 - Reduce poverty; No. 6 - Improved health; No.8 - Improved gender equality; and No.12-Improved transparency, accountability, equity and efficiency in management and use of resources in the Pacific. (b) 1995 Yanuca Declaration, Healthy Islands Vision
3. National priorities: Kiribati Development Plan (2012-2015) aligned to UNDAF, Key Policy Areas: 4 – Environment, Outcome 4.4: Improved water quality, and 6 –Infrastructure, Outcome 6.1: Improved infrastructure to facilitate economic growth, poverty reduction, trade, industrialization, technological and social transformation
4. UNICEF global priorities: Medium-Term Strategic Plan 2006-2013 Organisational Targets:
No. 9. Support the development and implementation of community-based hygiene improvement and water safety plans that lead to reduction in childhood diarrhoea and other water-related diseases;
No.10. Support progress towards MDG Target 10 through support to adequately financed, decentralized, locally determined programmes consisting of a balanced mix of hygiene, sanitation and water supply interventions, focusing on poor rural and urban families;
No.11. Together with other key agencies, provide leadership in working with governments to strengthen sector plans, policies and budgets for hygiene, sanitation and water supply and incorporate evidence-based strategies to strengthen national plans and UNDAF
5. UNICEF Pacific priorities: By 2017, communities, schools and health centres use improved water and sanitation facilities with a focus on outer islands, rural and peri-urban villages in Kiribati (Health and Sanitation Programme Component.
1. Global priorities: Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 1, 4, 5, and 7; Convention on the Rights of the Child Articles 6 and 24
2. Pacific priorities: (a) The Pacific Plan: Strategic Objectives: No.4 - Reduce poverty; No. 6 - Improved health; No.8 - Improved gender equality; and No.12-Improved transparency, accountability, equity and efficiency in management and use of resources in the Pacific. (b) 1995 Yanuca Declaration, Healthy Islands Vision
3. National priorities: Kiribati Development Plan (2012-2015) aligned to UNDAF, Key Policy Areas: 4 – Environment, Outcome 4.4: Improved water quality, and 6 –Infrastructure, Outcome 6.1: Improved infrastructure to facilitate economic growth, poverty reduction, trade, industrialization, technological and social transformation
4. UNICEF global priorities: Medium-Term Strategic Plan 2006-2013 Organisational Targets:
No. 9. Support the development and implementation of community-based hygiene improvement and water safety plans that lead to reduction in childhood diarrhoea and other water-related diseases;
No.10. Support progress towards MDG Target 10 through support to adequately financed, decentralized, locally determined programmes consisting of a balanced mix of hygiene, sanitation and water supply interventions, focusing on poor rural and urban families;
No.11. Together with other key agencies, provide leadership in working with governments to strengthen sector plans, policies and budgets for hygiene, sanitation and water supply and incorporate evidence-based strategies to strengthen national plans and UNDAF
5. UNICEF Pacific priorities: By 2017, communities, schools and health centres use improved water and sanitation facilities with a focus on outer islands, rural and peri-urban villages in Kiribati (Health and Sanitation Programme Component.
Human interest story on CLTS
Buota
village, North Tarawa
Iotee Tokiteba (35 yrs), wife Emma (32 yrs) has three children, boy (5 yrs), girl (3 yrs) and boy (5 months)
Iotee Tokiteba (35 yrs), wife Emma (32 yrs) has three children, boy (5 yrs), girl (3 yrs) and boy (5 months)
My house in Buota village, North Tarawa, Kiribati.
Photo by Gabriel Rozario, WASH Specialist, UNICEF on April 18, 2013 |
"I am Iotee Tokiteba living in the village called Buota which is part of North Tarawa . My wife name Emma and we have three children. There are 30 households in my village. I was working as security services with a local company and currently casual work. My wife is working with aviation. My children are not yet going to school. I am living in this village from my birth. During my childhood I have seen my parents were using bush and beach and me also practicing the same.
I, my wife and children were usually using beach early in the morning for defecating at the lagoon side. My wife is facing always a problem in defecating on the beach since a lot of people were also using; she needed to go very early morning when it was dark outside. She was feeling insecurity in many occasions. Almost all other people of the villages are also doing the same. My house is very close to the beach and it is also a place to shit. Many times I and my family members were suffering from diarrhoea and spending a lot of money for transportation and food during treatment. We never realised open defecation is the main cause for diarrhoea." |
"Last month one of lady from Kiriwatsan project came and said there will be a meeting tomorrow, they wanted to learn from us about our villages. The next day at 1430 hrs they came and wanted to know on the sanitation situation our villages and where we do defecation usually, we all villagers met them and explained our situation. Made a village defecation map and we realized all where we are defecating and creating health hazards, I have learned the biggest problem of open defecation for the first time in my life. I understood that we are eating each other’s ‘Te butae’ (faeces) and getting diarrhoea. That night I couldn’t sleep well and was thinking and discussed with my wife to build a toilet. Our children should not use open defecation. Next day morning I didn’t go to work anywhere myself and my wife dig a hole and made a small toilet at south corner of my house yard and started using it . We have kept water, ash and soap for washing our hands coming back from toilet." |
My own small toilet used by myself and
family, constructed March 01, 2013 Photo by Gabriel Rozario, WASH Specialist, UNICEF
on April 18, 201.
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“Before CLTS meeting, the beaches and mangroves are full of te butae (faeces) as people used to go there to defecate, not only that but the village is also not clean, heaps of rubbish garbage and plastics lying here and there. However, after CLTS meeting in my community, there is a very big improvement. People have stopped going to defecate in those places anymore. They have constructed their own small toilets and are using them now. I am proud to say that my children are no longer going to the beach just in front; instead they are using the toilet. Our beach is now free of faeces and my village is very clean. Many thanks to CLTS and Kiriwatsan project to improve our sanitation situation."
"I , my wife and our children are now very happy. Our full village all the households have the toilets and everybody using toilets. We celebrated ODF of our village as second village in Kiribati on April 20, 2013"
"I , my wife and our children are now very happy. Our full village all the households have the toilets and everybody using toilets. We celebrated ODF of our village as second village in Kiribati on April 20, 2013"
Te Ran Te Maiu Newsletter, December 2013
The 4th quarter issue of Water for Life, 2013, the Newsletter of the KIRIWATSAN project informing communities about water, sanitation and hygiene developments on Outer islands of Kiribati. The good news: All project activities are progressing in outer islands. Congratulations to Mayors and councilors, unimwane, village leaders, men, women and children for all your support and participation. We invited you to learn about what was done on these islands and join us in making the project a success. Click to download |