The collaboration resulted in the rehabilitation of 28 spring-on-spot water schemes
What happens when a community joins forces with its partners and local leaders? In South Ari’s Shishir Kebele, that collaboration has resulted in the successful rehabilitation of 28 water schemes, restoring both clean water access and a renewed sense of hope.
Published on: 18/02/2026
In South Ari Woreda, South Ethiopia Region, strong community leadership combined with effective partner coordination is restoring rural water services and offering a powerful model for sustainable WASH systems.
South Ari’s Shishir Kebele recently celebrated the successful rehabilitation of 28 spring-on-spot water schemes, achieved through a coordinated effort by the community, WASH partners and the local government. This initiative has enabled more than 6,600 people to regain access to safe and reliable water services.
Beginning in November 2024, the South Ari Woreda Administration, working closely with the Woreda Water and Energy Office, mobilised zonal and woreda level partners to address water schemes that had been non-functional due to severe technical failures and posed public health risks.
Through joint planning and continuous implementation, 31 priority spring-on-spot water schemes were identified and targeted. Partner organisations contributed in complementary ways, including financial resources, construction materials, technical training, and community mobilisation, while the Woreda Administration coordinated logistics, professional support, and transport of materials to remote sites. The result was an integrated, systems-oriented response rather than fragmented project interventions.
The Woreda’s awareness-raising efforts through learning alliances, together with the community’s understanding of resource constraints, convinced the community to take a leading role in resource mobilisation and the rehabilitation of water services. As a result, one of the most striking outcomes of the initiative was the high level of community participation and ownership. Community members contributed labour, provided food for construction teams, and actively supported rehabilitation works.
This collective action reflected a growing shift from dependency on external support to community-led problem solving.
Today, Shishir Kebele is widely recognised as a model kebele for water management and community ownership, inspiring other communities across South Ari Woreda.
The President of Jinka University, Yohannes Yitbarek (PhD), who has been following up on and appreciating the community’s role, highlighted the kebele’s strong coordination and self-driven action, noting its potential for scaling up to zonal and regional levels, and as a learning platform for academic institutions.
According to a summary report from the Woreda Water and Energy Office, the joint effort reduced the Woreda’s water scheme non-functionality rate by 6%. In total, more than two point three million ETB was mobilised and utilised through combined contributions from communities, the Woreda Administration, and partners, including World Vision, IRC WASH, Inclusive Peace and Development (IPADA), the Red Cross, and Action for Development (AFD).
“The need for partner coordination and community participation are clearly stated priorities in the Woreda’s WASH SDG Plan, developed back in 2020,” said Ajele Getu, Head of the Woreda Water and Energy Office.
“By applying these principles effectively, we have mobilised significant resources, especially from communities. The woreda level ‘one spring on spot per kebele’ initiative also clearly demonstrates this.” Added Ajele.
Hagere Tilahun, Chief Speaker of the South Ari Woreda Council, emphasised that women and students are the primary beneficiaries of strong community engagement and stakeholder collaboration in WASH services. She called for the Shishir experience to be formally recognised and replicated across other kebeles.
The South Ari experience shows that sustainable rural water services are not built by infrastructure alone, but through trust, coordination, and community ownership and leadership. By aligning government systems, partner support, and community ownership, small but well-coordinated investments can deliver lasting impact.
