The story of the TearFund

"TearFund gives us water! TearFund gives us life! Diarrhoea is no more!”

TearFund, in partnership with UNICEF, used CERF funding to start water and sanitation activities in Sinoe County in southeast Liberia [Photo: TearFund/UNICEF Liberia]

The TearFund, in partnership with UNICEF, used CERF funding to start water and sanitation activities in Sinoe County in southeast Liberia. Because of its relative remoteness and inaccessibility, the county has received little humanitarian assistance.

CERF funding enabled construction of 15 hand-dug wells in locations which did not previously have improved water sources. Furthermore, 60 community health volunteers were given training on health related messages and topics.

Tear Fund’s Programme Director, Jonas Njelango, told UNICEF CERF funding ‘opened the door’ to this previously underserved area. CERF funding acted as ‘seed money’, helping TearFund to attract longer term donor support and secure long term funding from ECHO for a development focused water and sanitation and food security programme in the area.

Kaytouzon Town is “a remote community of 400 people who, prior to Tear Fund’s intervention, was getting their drinking water from a creek that was a 15-minute walk from the village along a dark overgrown forest path.

During a recent visit, Clan Chief, Madam Annie Saydee, (pictured with shawl around her neck) said it is the first of its kind in the town… the enthusiastic crowd shouted: ‘TearFund gives us water! TearFund gives us life! Diarrhoea is no more!’”. The Clan Chief said “the community will do everything within their reach to never have to return to drinking from the creek”.

[Last Update: 24 December 2007]

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