Support for water program in Timor Leste
On January 26, 2016, Ono commemorated the signing of the partnership with Japan Committee for UNICEF,
providing financial support for UNICEF’s water and sanitation program in Timor-Leste.
The children of Timor Leste live in some of the most disadvantaged conditions
in the Asian region in terms of access to improved drinking water.
As part of the CWP activities, the city will conduct fundraising campaigns in various events,
such as the Echizen Ono Meisui Marathon as well as local seasonal festivals in February and August.
Since 2015, Ono city has been running a campaign called “Carrying Water Project（CWP）” which is a comprehensive approach to stop further population outflow from the city．
Under the theme of “appreciation for water”,the CWP plays a key role in creating and activating local industries, hence transforming the city into an attractive place to live for its citizens, especially for children and young people. At the same time, the movement is expected to encourage its people to take pride in their traditions relating to water, and to regard it as a symbol of their cultural identity. Globally speaking, it also helps the city publicize its efforts overseas.
Water is fundamental to human life, same as the air we breathe.
Yet ironically, this essence of life can have a harmful impact if its source is contaminated with pollution and infection.
In the world today, about 663 million people still use unimproved drinking water sources,
including unprotected wells and springs, and surface water.
Lack of safe water is a major contributing factor for the deaths of children under the age of five,
due to which 5.9 million children died in 2015.
Taking pride in its water, the city decided to reach out to people
in developing countries without access to improved water sources.
Ono is making a concerted effort to help and create togetherness with the most disadvantaged people on the globe.
The city also hopes the movement will have a positive
impact on its citizens in reaffirming the gratitude for their heritage of water.
There has to be, in tandem with that, an united effort just like “Carrying Water Project”
for the realization of a dynamic, vibrant city which one day will be a spotlight of the international society.
The flow of donations from Ono to Timor-Leste
Country Context
In Timor Leste, due to limited access to WASH facilities, children’s health is severely affected.
The impact of low access to WASH facilities is clearly seen in the health and nutrition status of children.
Diarrhea is the second biggest cause of under-five deaths after pneumonia (pneumonia 25% and diarrhea 9%)
in Timor-Leste and under-five stunting stands staggeringly high at 50.2 percent.
UNICEF has been supporting the central and local governments in Timor- Leste
in installing community water systems, namely “gravity-fed water systems” (GFS) for several years.
Project’s Overall Objective:
Increase sustainable access to water supply in rural schools and communities
through enhanced school-community partnerships and improved coordination among education,
health and water and sanitation sectors.
Project’s Specific Objective:
By Dec 2019, 1,500 children from 6 rural schools and 1,800 people
from 6 neighboring villages will have access to safe and sustainable water supply from GFS,
and schools and communities will effectively manage the water systems.
Targeting 2 schools (500 children) and 2 villages (600 people) per year,
the project will achieve the following results in 3 years (2017 – 2019).
- 1.In coordination with district education and water supply offices, identify two remote schools and communities for installing gravity-fed water supply system (GFS);
- 2.Facilitate school management, schoolchildren and communities in developing Community Action Plan (CAP) for implementation and management of water systems;
- 3.Mobilizing communities to install two GFSs befitting estimated 500 schoolchildren from two schools and 600 rural people from two neighboring communities;
- 4.Involving representatives of Parent Teachers Association (PTA), student council and community leaders, establish GMF, develop operation and maintenance fund collection mechanism and train GMF on post construction management of water systems;
- 5.Organize awareness sessions with school children and teachers on the importance of protecting water sources.
- 6.Coordinating WASH partners to develop A Costed Action Plan for universal access to WASH schools;
Ono’s local governments have invested in activities that are needed for improving the lives of children.
The aim is to give children opportunities to become adults who are productive and dedicated,
and who can add value to the local economy- and hence
transform their communities for the better, today and the future.
Ono’s active engagement in their efforts for children aligns well with UNICEF’s global program,
“Child Friendly City”, which is being developed in all regions of the world.
It aims to promote systems of good local governance,
committed to fully implementing the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
In fact, this common sentiment between Ono and UNICEF
was one of the major determining factors for establishing a partnership this time.
A Child Friendly City is a system of good local governance committed to the fullest implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (adopted 20 November 1989 by UN General Assembly, and entered into force on the 2nd September 1990.) Large cities, medium-size towns as well as smaller communities – even in rural settings – are all called to ensure that their governance gives priority to children and involves them in decision-making processes. Child Friendly Cities translate national processes for implementing the Convention on the Rights of the Child into actions at the local level – where children live and have the concrete opportunity to influence decisions that affect their lives.
