Ethiopia is beset by widespread poverty, food shortages and disease, and local people face a daily struggle to survive. The last two years of drought caused a humanitarian crisis, with more than eight million people needing assistance. Having easy access to safe drinking water is one of the highest priorities for local communities, as over 70 per cent of all diseases in Ethiopia are caused by dirty water. Executed by Christian Aid partner, Water Action, this project has three areas of activity: Water provision: the project will provide up to 20 litres of clean, safe water a day for each person living in the target areas. Maintained by local water technicians, the water facilities will be owned and managed by the local communities. Water related activities will include; • capping of the Cancho spring • constructing 10 pipe river crossings and 80 anchor blocks • excavating 49km of pipe trench and lay pipes • constructing 45 water distribution points • constructing 15 cattle troughs • constructing a pump/generator house • training 40 water technicians • establishing 20 water and sanitation committees Natural Resource Management: This will focus around environmental protection activities and tree planting. Activities will include: • planting 950,000 indigenous tree seedlings • training 200 local farmers in environment protection • providing 100 fuel-saving stoves to 100 households to reduce the amount of wood cut down for fuel • encouraging local communities to make and sell fuel-saving stoves. Community development, health and HIV: Community development will focus on instigating income generating activities for women, while health and HIV activities will focus on raising awareness of key health and HIV messages, and providing basic sanitation facilities; • providing training and health education to 162 village health promoters; 20 women outreach workers and 12 school health clubs and other community groups • constructing 400 traditional pit latrines • raising awareness on health and hygiene issues • constructing clothes washing facilities and showers • training teachers to co-ordinate and run hygiene clubs. This investment opportunity offers significant leverage; an investment of £410,000 over 3 years will leverage a further £1.2 million from the European Union. Christian Aid is actively fundraising for this project at the moment, and is planning to host its partner, Water Action, in the UK in 2008, to meet with any philanthropists keen to invest.