Flowing into 2025: New water systems bring promise for the new year to rural Mali

The new year offers optimism for many across southern Mali as local communities begin using new water systems constructed by the USAID Anka Jiko (Concerning Water) Activity. In late December 2024, water was flowing and ribbons were cut in four villages across Mali’s Bougouni Region to the sound of gourd rattles shaking and drums beating in celebratory rhythm. Colorfully dressed women sang and danced, as men slowly paraded while strumming their N’goni lutes and twirling rifles as part of the famed Donso N’goni hunters’ parade. The USAID Anka Jiko Activity inaugurated its first water systems on December 19 and 20, in the villages of Samagole, Bogotafara, Sansola, and Moribala. These are the first of a total of 50 drinking water systems and 23 community gardens planned for  2025. The completed systems will  provide drinking water to over 190,000 people and irrigation access to at least 1,800 community garden users. The first wave of new water systems will reach 27 villages (see map below); construction will finish in most of these villages in January 2025. 

Access to clean water improves health 

This moment was personal for Marama Sidibé.  Ms. Sidibé opened the faucet of a new tap stand outside a maternity ward in the village of Bogotafara, and reflected on what little water was available to her at one of the most critical times in her life. 

“I gave birth in this maternity ward less than a year ago. I used water from the [open, hand-dug well] for hygiene. [Before, I] had to travel about 3 kilometers to have access to a clean water source. USAID Anka Jiko is a great relief because there is now a fountain in the courtyard of the maternity ward itself.” 

Before the construction of the new water systems, communities had relatively few clean water sources to choose from and sources were hard to access. People often relied on contaminated, seasonal water sources, like open household wells rather than retrieving water from distant community hand pumps. In some locations, long lines for water collection at public water points persisted all day throughout the dry season. In these communities, it was not uncommon for women and children to spend more than 30 minutes waiting in line to fill their jerry cans with water. The first wave of new water systems offers between three and 16 public distribution points in each village. These water points distribute groundwater obtained with solar-powered pumps, delivered to tap stands by gravity from nearby water towers. 

Engaging the private sector to sustain rural water service delivery

In some of the most water-scarce villages, such as Diou in the Sikasso Region, nearly 4,000 people currently share access to a single improved water source. Construction will be completed on Diou’s drinking water system in January 2025, and the water system will be professionally managed by Entreprise EMONAF, a local company. Several months ago, the owner of Entreprise EMONAF, Moussa Ouattara, attended a workshop hosted by USAID to  connect local business owners with technicians and set the stage for emerging market opportunities in  rural water service provision. A year earlier, Mr. Outtara’s efforts to grow Entreprise EMONAF into a water service provider came to an end after one of the two water systems he managed was transferred to a state-run service provider in charge of urban service delivery, as required by local regulations for large systems. His remaining water system failed to generate enough revenue to be sustainable, as community members preferred to use free hand pumps that were also available in the community. As a result, he abandoned his business venture. 

USAID Anka Jiko provided Mr. Outtara with coaching-based support to prepare him and other business leaders to develop competitive proposals to win public service delegations, while also offering support to local government officials to design and execute the procurement process. Mr. Outtara won the service delegation for three USAID drinking water distribution systems, and will be amongst the first professional rural water service providers operating in the Sikasso Region. With USAID’s support, Mr. Outtara developed a strong, five-year finance and operating plan for his business and has plans to offer private tap stands to interested households, which will help stabilize his revenue through increased water use.  According to Mr. Outtara, “One of the most promising avenues for the development of [large water systems] is the development of private connections in villages. We are confident that with our partners–development aid and financial institutions–we will succeed in increasing users’ [water] consumption, especially by [facilitating increased finance access] for private [household] connections.”

Community gardens improve livelihoods, nutrition, and equity

But drinking water is only half the battle. Water access also offers the promise of more resilient and productive livelihoods, strong nutritional development for young children, and economic autonomy for women and youth. In the village of Samagole, Achatou Mariko walked through the new, fenced-in community garden, and adjusted the protective netting covering her crops of cabbage, lettuce, okra, and sweet potato. 

“We were in such a hurry to have the [community gardens] that we have already started the nurseries before the [inauguration]. Thanks to USAID, we will have a reliable source of income that will allow us to pay for our children's schooling. Beyond that, we will always have good vegetables on our plates.” 

Connecting communities and local governments to plan for and develop sustainable infrastructure

Constructing infrastructure is always quicker and easier than planning for and successfully governing it. These newly inaugurated water systems were built over the past five months, but USAID has been working with communities and local governments for over two years to lay the groundwork for sustainability. These water systems are more than just new infrastructure–they are a chance for communities and elected officials to come together and find new, more sustainable ways of working together.

USAID has supported over 600 community leaders from 158 villages by offering them skills training in leadership and local government planning and budgeting processes. Subsequently, these community leaders participated in public town hall discussions with government officials where they contributed to the development of 60 district-level WASH Plans which highlighted the need for water systems selected for USAID Anka Jiko’s support. Through USAID’s support, elected officials have witnessed the value of strong community engagement and how it lays the groundwork for sustainable infrastructure development.

Souleymane Sidibé is a deputy mayor from Wassoulou-Balle and oversees water sector planning for his commune. Prior to holding elected office, he worked as a water system manager for larger drinking water systems across Mali, in Sikasso, Ségou, Bamako, Bougouni, and Yanfolila. Mr. Sidibé sees this as a watermark moment in his Wassoulou-Balle’s development. 

“I have 17 years of experience as a [large water system] manager, and I have never seen a water system construction as complete and successful as USAID Anka Jiko. The municipality of Wassoulou Balle benefits from three infrastructure [systems]: two [community gardens] which will be a great boost for the rural economy, and a drinking water supply for Bogotafara which was cruelly lacking a source of drinking water.”  

He also knows firsthand the critical role that local governance plays in overseeing private system managers, noting that, “the sustainability of infrastructure lies in strengthening monitoring and good accountability around its management.” 

With support from USAID, communities, the private sector, and local governments have a framework for sustainability and share a common vision of the future. Each stakeholder understands their role and is poised to fulfill it. Community leaders like Ms. Sidibé and Ms. Mariko must hold their elected officials accountable to effectively implement their district water, sanitation, and hygiene plan priorities, while also increasing their communities’ willingness to pay for use and continue investing in the growth of water systems. Entrepreneurs like Mr. Outtara must earn the trust of the communities they serve, offering high quality water service delivery and proactively engaging community members to understand their concerns and goals. Lastly, elected officials like Mr. Sidibé must listen to the needs of those they serve and welcome their partnership, build consensus on the need for best practices for sustainability, and monitor service providers’ performance to ensure they fulfill their mandates.