Environmental Rehabilitation and Small Infrastructural Development

KMG operates in a densely populated region whose ecosystem is depleted. Coping with, and adjusting to environmental degradation and climatic change, is one of the challenges to women in rural areas in general, and to women in the Kembatta-Tembaro zone in particular. Environmental regeneration & alternative technology development is a must to ease the burden of women. Women are the providers of fuel, water, and food to their households; their work is often backbreaking and constant, though its value is not recognized. Strategic interventions developed by KMG are designed to educate and mobilize communities about environmentally sound practices, how to rehabilitate natural resources that have been abused, and develop alternative resources.

This program was initiated in 2005 and consists of rehabilitation and regeneration of Hambericho Mountain, the major water shed in the area. It also addresses alternative livelihood needs of farmers around the Mountain. This includes the community mobilization to increase awareness of communities on environmental issues, collaborating with productive safety net programs, and schools for plantations and nurseries development. It focuses on reforestation of Hambericho Mountain, the establishment and development of nursery sites, soil and water conservation, and alternative income generation and asset building for households whose livelihood depends mainly on Hambericho Mountain. So far over eight million indigenous, fast growing trees have been planted on the Mountain and around the zone.

An important part of the KMG program activities includes developing small infrastructures, such as rural roads and bridge construction, enhancing springs, developing potable water, and exploring alternative energy systems such as biogass digesters. So far, KMG has built seven rural bridges, a potable water system with eight distribution points, 12 hand-dug wells and many spring enhancements. Five biogass digesters have also been developed. This has reduced burden, abuse and sexual harrassment of women, while reducing school dropout among the girls in the zone.

Women travel for miles and stand in line for
hours just to fetch few gallons of water