From Scarcity to Sustainability Community-Led Solutions for Clean Water Access in Aileu Municipality, Timor-Leste
Keywords:
water access, community management, appropriate technology, hygiene promotion, sustainable infrastructure, post-conflict developmentAbstract
This community service initiative addresses critical clean water access challenges affecting rural communities in Aileu Municipality, one of Timor-Leste's most water-scarce regions. The twenty-month program engaged 487 households across eight villages in collaborative development of sustainable water infrastructure and hygiene practices. Utilizing participatory technology assessment and community-based management approaches, the intervention established gravity-fed water systems, rainwater harvesting installations, water quality monitoring programs, and comprehensive hygiene education. The integrated approach combined infrastructure development with capacity building for local water committees ensuring long-term system maintenance and governance. Results demonstrated transformative improvements with 92 percent of participating households achieving reliable clean water access compared to 23 percent at baseline, waterborne disease incidence declining by 68 percent, and women's water collection time decreasing by an average 2.4 hours daily. The program established sustainable community management structures maintaining water systems eighteen months post-implementation. This initiative offers replicable models for water security in post-conflict, resource-limited contexts where community ownership proves essential for sustainability.
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Copyright (c) 2025 José da Costa Soares, Maria Fernanda Guterres , Antonio Ximenes Belo
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