Many rural communities in Rwanda have no access to clean drinking water and rely on firewood to cook and sterilise their drinking water. This has far-reaching environmental, social and economic consequences - in addition to the impact on climate change and the associated increase in droughts and extreme weather events.

Access to clean water has numerous positive impacts on local communities: in addition to reduced reliance on firewood, it also leads to a reduction in the smoke-related health risks associated with the use of traditional 3-stone cooking stoves. By reducing the amount of time women spend fetching water, the project also helps improve gender equality.

This project installs new and rehabilitates existing water pumps to provide access to a hygienic and reliable water supply for the rural population, particularly in the arid regions of Rwanda. Other project activities focus heavily on local resident engagement and involvement, and include water quality testing, well maintenance training for local professionals, as well as education regarding the importance of proper sanitation and hygiene to curb the spread of disease and improve community health and well-being.

The project has so far provided 90,000 people with access to 245 million litres of safe drinking water annually, saving approximately 190,000 tons of wood per year that would otherwise be used to sterilise drinking water. This equates to a reduction of 10,000 tons of CO2 equivalent per year.

Registered under the Gold Standard, the program is certified to contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including GOAL 3: Health and Well-Being, GOAL 5: Gender Equality, GOAL 6: Clean Water and Sanitation, and GOAL 13: Climate Action.