Madimba community in the DRC breathes a sigh of relief as they finally gain access to clean water through a GEF and CIWA-funded project.

Accessing clean water has been a major challenge for the Madimba community in the province of Kongo-Central, Democratic Republic of Congo. Due to the scarcity of clean water sources, women and young girls in the community had to walk long distances, often several kilometers, to reach the nearest available water, significantly impacting their daily lives.

This deprived them of valuable time that could have been spent on education or income-generating activities and posed significant health risks due to the lack of adequate hygiene facilities. The absence of clean water sources led to poor sanitation and hygiene practices, resulting in waterborne diseases and a lower quality of life for the entire community.

Now, the Madimba Community has running water, a life-changing experience from the water supply project facilitated by the SADC Groundwater Management Institute and the DRC Government through the Ministry of Water Resources and Electricity.

The Global Environment Facility, the Cooperation in International Waters in Africa, and the World Bank are the main funders of this transformative initiative. This project has not just provided water but also uplifted the lives of the Madimba community, inspiring hope and progress.

This project currently benefits 2,143 community members from Madimba, significantly impacting and improving the local population's livelihoods.