Water tanker delivering water to the Denan villagers
Water reservoir built for the Denan villagers
Water Tankers & Reservoirs
Drought is a recurring problem in the Ogaden region, where Denan is located. There are two rainy seasons each year, one from October through December, and the other from April through June. Unfortunately, the rains do not come regularly when they are supposed to, and often do not come at all.
To help alleviate the effects of drought, and to enable people to stay in their own homes rather than ending up in a camp for internally displaced persons, The Denan Project built reservoirs in 5 surrounding villages, and purchased a water tanker truck, capable of holding 20,000 liters of water, to service those reservoirs. During the drought seasons of 2008, almost 40,000 people relied on our tanker to deliver potable water to their villages. With the worsening drought condition of 2011, our water tanker is an indispensable resource, serving as the only source of potable water for the area.
Water Pipeline
Along with its partners, the Ogaden Welfare and Development Association, and the Regional Water Bureau of the Somali Regional State, The Denan Project has funded the construction of a 12 kilometer water pipeline which will provide the residents of Denan with an adequate supply of potable water not just for the first time in their lives, but for the first time in their history. Much of the labor required to dig the trench and to fill it in after the pipes were installed was provided by the villagers. Their only requirement was that we feed them. Their initiative accomplished two things: One, it significantly reduced the cost of the project which then made it feasible. Two, their participation created a sense of stewardship among the villagers toward the pipeline. To date, the pipeline has been dug and the pipes installed along with the completion of 14 watering stations for both people and animals. A 200,000 liter collection and service reservoir has also been built, as have a security fence, generator, and guardhouses. Yet to be completed are: 4 bore holes, trestles to carry the pipes over the dry washes, and the installation of the pumps and generator. The collaborative effort to complete the pipeline continues.
