Health projects
Water wells
Accomplished since 1998
ASAP has arranged for 29 water wells to be dug for schools, medical dispensaries, and for common use. Also 3 traditional wells have been dug for cattle.
Women at water well
Results and Impact
Safe drinking water immediately improves the health of the villagers. In addition, the infrastructure helps the women and girls who are responsible for fetching household water needs. The women only have to walk 500 meters to fetch water. It also furthers the independence and emancipation of the women, since they are responsible for the management of the water wells.
Challenges
It continues to be challenging to find suitable and reliable contractors for the construction of the wells. Another constant worry is that if the villagers maintain enough funds in reserve for the maintenance of the wells. In a few villages water committees have been set up, only women partake in this. These committees are responsible to collect and preserve the money for the maintenance of the wells.
Medical Dispensaries
Accomplished since 1998
There are three medical dispensaries with 6 houses for medical personnel.
Results and Impact
Only 3 of the 9 villages have received better access to medical dispensaries. The other villages are too small according to strict government standards and do not qualify for a medical centre. Thanks to these medical dispensaries there is a better standard of health care, particularly for the elderly and children. The availability of contraceptives has lead to some birth restriction (noted especially after 5 years). The use of other, unmonitored "street" medicines are also in decline. The medical dispensaries result in faster and more effective treatment of epidemics, vaccination programmes and emergency situations.
Challenges
Better medical treatment is still necessary, especially for those in the smaller villages. We want to improve hygiene in the villages in order to lessen the need for medical attention, at this time 80% of the sicknesses are a result of polluted water and poor hygiene. We also want to see the use of uncontrolled "street" medicines further reduced.
Other health related projects
Accomplished since 1998
In addition to improving water supplies, and building and supplying medical centres, we work to improve hygiene habits, starting with children in kindergartens and primary schools. We also provide people with mosquito nets. The government has distributed mosquito nets in 2010. ASAP will see if it is necessary to distribute them in 2011.
Primary school
Results and Impact
All schools have received a water tank (of recycled material) and soap; students now wash their hands before they eat. Children are now eager to wash their hands at home as well before they eat. Hopefully the parents will encourage this and do it as well. Thanks to the mosquito nets that were distributed by ASAP in 2009, a 50% decline prevalence rate of serious malaria cases has been observed under women. Moreover, the people are well rested and therefore better equipped during the day since they are not bothered by insects during the night.
Challenges
We must ensure that there is plenty of soap present at the schools and that soap is sufficiently available in the rest of the village. It is also a challenging and lengthy process to change the mentality of the people regarding hygiene.
Daily life
