Fight Covid: 4G internet for water authorities in Burkina Faso

Image

Kevin Dipama, of the Faso Koom team working online from his home. Dipama is detached to the team by water authority Agence de l’Eau du Gourma. (photo: World Waternet)

Online meetings

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, many meetings are held online. But what if you lack internet access at home? With the budget that was meant to cover travel costs, World Waternet and the Dutch water authorities Drents Overijsselse Delta, Hunze & Aa's and Noorderzijlvest, purchased 4G internet for staff of the local water authorities in Burkina Faso.

Far apart

The first online meetings already took place and the scheduled workshops by World Waternet can now continue. 

In Burkina Faso, the five water authorities are located far apart, and until now online meetings rarely took place – so there is an opportunity to be seized. Moreover, the water authorities received disinfectants and personal protective equipment.

Image

In addition of the internet facilities, handwashing equipment has been donated by Dutch water authorities. (photo: World Waternet)

Up and running

'The 4G internet and protective equipment arrived at precisely the right time', says Etienne Nacoulma, from the Burkinabe water authority Agence de l'Eau du Gourma (AEG). ‘Since the Covid-19 outbreak, the Burkinabe government took measures to keep all the water services up and running', Nacoulma adds.

'It also reduced water and electricity taxes to relieve its citizens of their short-term financial concerns. Working from home is difficult for many, but now that we have 4G internet, we only go to the office when it is absolutely necessary.’

Blue deal

Faso Koom is one of the partnerships of the Blue Deal programme that focuses on eleven river catchments around the world to strengthen the management of water quantity and quality to increase the access to clean water. 

The partners involved in the Faso Koom cooperation, include World Waternet, Regional Dutch water authorities Drents Overijsselse Delta, Hunze en Aa’s and the five Agences de l’ Eau, together with the local water authorities that are responsible for the implementation of integrated water resources management in Burkina Faso.