Rural communities in the islands of West Timor and Flores, close neighbors of Australia, are among the poorest people in Indonesia and in our region. In East Nusa Tenggara province, the average income is less than a dollar per day and a recent study indicated nearly 40% of people suffer from malnutrition.
The province also experiences seasonal drought for up to nine months of the year, hampering the agricultural enterprises which act as a source of food and income. Access to clean water is a daily struggle, affecting the health and livelihoods of families.
NTA East Indonesia Aid’s (NTA) water and sanitation program works to address this issue. NTA’s program includes providing 15,000L water tanks and multi-purpose outdoor toilet facilities to vulnerable rural households.
As a source of clean water with large storage capacity, these tanks eliminate the onerous duty of water collection – a daily chore which consumes significant time and energy, meaning less time is spent on productive activities such as tending to crops and attending school.
Additionally, NTA’s outdoor toilets work in synergy with the tanks and provide sanitary conditions for using the toilet, bathing and washing clothes. This means better hygiene and cleanliness, resulting in improved levels of family health and the reduction of endemic diarrhoea – a major cause of poor health in the province.
Supported by the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP), NTA is improving the lives and livelihoods of the people of East Nusa Tenggara – supporting good health and quality of life.
Original source: DFAT
Published on 13 November 2018
