Stories
May 12, 2026 • 3 min read
Recurrent drought in Ethiopia’s Borena Zone has reduced access to safe drinking water for hundreds of communities. In the town of Elwhee, these shortages placed growing pressure on the community’s diesel‑powered water system, which eventually became too expensive to run. As the system failed, women and girls were forced to walk for hours to find water for their families. In response, GOAL introduced solar-powered water facilities, restoring access to clean water, and reducing the burden on the community.
A Recurring Crises in Borena
For decades, the Borena Zone in southern Ethiopia has experienced instances of repeated and long-lasting drought. This has resulted in prolonged periods of water scarcity. In the town of Elwhee, persistent rainfall challenges have caused a range of challenges to emerge. Among the most pressing of these are those relating to securing safe and reliable drinking water.
The water scarcity affecting communities like Elwhee disproportionately affects women and girls, who are primarily responsible for collecting water. During drought periods, this responsibility can require journeys by foot of up to six hours a day. These long and arduous trips expose women and girls to safety risks and limit their ability to attend school and receive an education. Consequently, the crises creates ripple effects, perpetuating cycles of inequality.
A Sustainable Response
To address the challenge, GOAL, with support of the United States government, upgraded the water facility by replacing the diesel-powered system with solar energy. The change to a renewable energy source offers a sustainable alternative to the recurring fuel and maintenance costs, ensuring lasting, reliable access to water through several taps across the village.
Desta Gemedi, GOAL’s Protection officer, reflected on the change, “Since GOAL installed the solar energy system, the difficulties have reduced. Now the community can access clean water with minimal costs saved for future maintenance. On behalf of our team and the community, I would like to thank the United States government for funding this initiative. We hope this collaboration will continue so that water services can reach more villages.
Voices from Elwhee
Dadi Melicha is a 55-year-old mother of ten living in Elwhee recounts the difficulties her family faced in accessing water, and the impact that GOAL’s interventions have had on the community.
“Water is everything here, like in any other place, but we used to travel up to 16 kilometers just to access clean water from a pumping station. After the water point was solarised, the distance we travel has been reduced by half. Because the energy source is solar, we can now access the water point through different taps.”
Expanding GOAL’s Impact
For GOAL staff working in the area, the project demonstrates how sustainable energy solutions can strengthen essential services in drought‑affected communities, offering a blueprint for more resilient water systems across the region. For families in Elwhee, the intervention has created greater opportunity, reducing the physical strain of water collection, improving safety, and freeing up time for education and livelihoods.
However, the progress achieved in Elwhee also underscores the significant needs that remain across the region. Many neighbouring villages continue to face severe challenges in accessing safe water, and the limited capacity of the wider system in the Borena Zone means that the supply available to Elwhee is not sufficient to meet the community’s needs.
Highlighting the importance of expanding this work, Dadi shares, “We are grateful to GOAL and its supporters for this access. We are hopeful that the project can be extended to nearby villages so that more families can access water closer to home.”
Expanding and strengthening the network of clean and accessible water supplies in the Borena Zone will be essential to ensure that more households can rely on safe, consistent access to water, especially as drought conditions continue to intensify.
