Physical Health Morocco Project #6501

Clean Drinking Water for 1250 Villagers in Morocco

by High Atlas Foundation

Project Report | Oct 15, 2012
Clean Drinking Water Arrives in Ahl Mbarek Maassoud

By Hilary White | Grants Manager

HAF's Project Manager Abderrahim Ouarghidi reports:

An important Clean Drinking Water project has been completed in the village of Ahl Mbarek Maassoud, Rural Commune of Aït Taleb, Ben Guerir Province:
The water tower has been built, the trenches for the pipes were dug, and pipes installed. This is a realization of a dream. Ever since 1979, this commune has requested clean drinking water, and HAF is happy that its facilitation of Participatory Planning meetings and process have enabled the community members to come together, solve the problems, and make it happen, despite the challenges mentioned in earlier reports.

Approximately 60% of rural Moroccans now have access to clean drinking water, up from 14% in 1995. During that same period, however, access to house connections and improved water sources had extremely modest gains. Clean drinking water projects remain a top project priority expressed by High Atlas Mountain communities. Nationally, infant mortality rates are 26.49 per 1,000 — more than 4 times higher than the United States — and are significantly higher in rural areas. Too often, there seems to be a disconnect, as in this case, between the national human development figures that show marked improvements, and the reality of Morocco’s mountain communities which have been left behind.

NOTE:
Time spent to procure what is often non-potable water (in addition to fuel wood) is a burden on women and girls — and prevents their participation in education. While a 2001 World Bank survey showed that girls’ enrollment in school increased 16% in communities that benefited from the installation of clean drinking water systems, interestingly, this project priority often does not appear among the suggested projects from the women's participatory planning meetings. One possible reason for this, as HAF has observed in a different community, is that the time spent fetching water is also an opportunity during the day for women and girls to socialize together.

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