Water!

One of the major issues affecting many communities in Beira is limited or no access to a reliable source of water. So Oasis has developed a project to help churches to install a running water source in their community.
The pilot project was to work with the Good Samaritan church to install a water point in its community of about 80 families. In this community to get clean water community members had to walk to a different area, a round trip of 6 km for some people, which is not much fun with 20 litres of water on your head!

Many people in the community are using this water source – after six months a survey showed that people are getting more water, paying less for it and are much healthier and the incidence of water-borne diseases has decreased significantly.”

A second water project with the Harvest Church in the community of Bazaar Filipe is also now operating and helping families to reduce the incidence of easily preventable illnesses such as cholera and diarrhoea and generally provide a better standard of health.

As a community hub, churches are in ideal place to give training to people. Through courses focusing on health, skill training and micro-enterprise people are empowered to transform their difficult lives.
Health courses give practical training about hygiene, sanitation, clean water, HIV & AIDS – the list goes on. Through training people to learn new skills, such as sewing, self-esteem is built and opportunities arise to earn some income through micro-enterprise projects. Further courses are also available for people to understand how to successfully manage these micro-enterprise projects.

Education

Ongoing partnerships Oasis has with churches and local government have led to the introduction of new adult literacy classes in Beira. Educated parents are more likely to send their children to school and literate women four times more likely to know the main ways to avoid HIV/AIDS. Through improving education, especially among adults, there is potential not only for greater learning, but also reduction in poverty.