The new year is well underway, and we are excited to share updates on WaterFinns' recent activities and upcoming plans.
New WaterFinns board
At our Autumn Meeting on 11.11.2024, a new board was elected to lead WaterFinns into 2025. Petri Nissinen was selected as the chair, with Kia Tähkänen as vice-chair and treasurer, and Juho Uzkurt Kaljunen as secretary. The board members for 2025 also include Enni Huotari, Jyrki Kaija, and Sanna-Leena Rautanen, and Julia Sundman and Tiia Westerberg as vice-members.
Project updates
RIWASH II, Ethiopia: A multi-year project improving water supply nears completion
The second phase of the RIWASH project in Ethiopia is approaching its conclusion, though the timeline has been slightly extended. One of the major advancements last year was the procurement of a pump to replace a broken one in Andegna Ashoka Kebele. However, due to delays in the procurement process and unforeseen obstacles upon its arrival in Ethiopia, the pump is still awaiting installation. Aside from this, nearly all other planned outputs of the project have been completed. Over the past year, two cattle troughs, four public water points, and eighteen private water connections for households with persons with disabilities were constructed. Training sessions were also carried out extensively, including school WASH club training on hygiene and management, capacity-building for women’s groups in poultry farming, micro-irrigation, and vegetable production, as well as ecological sanitation training for farmers.
The next steps include transporting it to Andegna Ashoka Kebele and ensuring its setup. The project is now in its final stretch, with the last remaining activities focusing on the installation of the pump and ensuring the sustainability of the interventions.
Significant progress in sanitation and water access through WASH MVP in Nepal
The WASH Model Village Project in Nepal continues to progress in Devchuli municipality focused on constructing new water supply and sanitation infrastructure in various communities in the project area. Out of the initial forty-five households without a toilet, thirty-nine now have proper sanitation facilities, and over fifty households have received private water taps. In addition to infrastructure development, the project has emphasized hygiene behavior monitoring and total sanitation efforts. Various training sessions on water, sanitation, menstrual hygiene management, and plastic waste management have taken place in schools, mothers' groups, and community settings. Menstrual hygiene management was further improved by installing sanitary pad incinerators in three schools.
In 2025, the project will focus on completing the remaining construction works, continuing training sessions, addressing water safety issues, and carrying out the endline survey to evaluate the overall results of the three-year project.
CSWASH kicks off to enhance climate resilience over the next four years
The CSWASH Nepal (Climate Smart WASH) project commenced in the beginning of 2025. The project works in the municipality of Devchuli in Nepal, and aims to improve the management of water resources, reduce the adverse impacts of climate change and improve the level of water supply and sanitation in the area.
Preparations have begun for the collection of baseline data in the municipality, a baseline survey will be conducted within the first half of the year. The first year will also include collecting water resource data, preparing the municipal WASH plan and IWRM plan (integrated water resources management). One of our Junior Project Managers and the Senior Advisor for the project will be conducting the first monitoring trip to Nepal at the end of February. During this Spring, Aalto University and Sagarmatha Engineering College will be collaborating with this project, and a group of students will be in Nepal at the same time with the project team to carry out fieldwork as part of their studies to support the project.
Looking ahead
In addition to our ongoing projects, we are planning events for our members and look forward to connecting with you throughout the year. To stay updated on our work, follow us on @Facebook / @Instagram / @Website.
As always, we warmly welcome new volunteers to join us. Whether you are interested in project work, event organization, or supporting our activities in other ways, there are many opportunities to get involved. If you would like to be part of our work, feel free to reach out to us at waterfinns(at)gmail.com.
We look forward to the year ahead and to continuing this work together.
Wishing you all a wonderful 2025!