What's New with WiLi!

It has been a long silence…but our new blog is up and running!  Whether you are new to WiLi, or know us well, we are glad that you’re stopping by our blog.  We hope you’ll continue to take the time to check-up on this blog and hear the stories of the adventures of our team and the work that we are doing in Ethiopia to facilitate the provision of water and sanitation services! 

Now for the update…WE’VE BEEN BUSY!  Since mid-June David and Merrie Harding, the founders of WiLi, and their daughter Merrie Grace have been in Ethiopia.  The Hardings will be in Ethiopia until the beginning of August and so far much has happened during their time in country!  The Hardings have visited many communities in our project areas in southern Ethiopia to inspect wells, build relationships with community members and officials, and to assess new areas of need.  David and Merrie have also had the opportunity to conduct important meetings with our in-country partners as we move forward with our Sustainable Living Group initiative.  To see pictures and videos from the Harding’s trip this past month please check out the WiLi facebook page here.

At the end of this month I will be heading to Ethiopia for 5 weeks to focus on the continued development of our Sustainable Living Group initiative.  Who am I you ask?  I’m Stephenie Chatfield, the newest member of the WiLi team!  As a part of my graduate studies I spent last summer working with WiLi and living in Awassa conducting an evaluation of Sustainable Living Groups (SLGs).  I am very excited to join the WiLi staff as Water and Sanitation Coordinator and to continue working with the SLGs!  Here are a few pictures from my time with WiLi last summer…stories coming in my next blog :)

Visiting a WiLi well in Borena in southern Ethiopia

Conducting a training with survey enumerators in Awassa

Meeting with an SLG in Awassa

I want to use this space as a place to keep you updated on what WiLi is doing abroad in Ethiopia and with our partners in the U.S., to share with you some of my personal stories and experiences related to our work, and to share with you the details of our passion for global water and sanitation issues.  Please subscribe and come back often, we’d love to get your feedback!

Stephenie.Chatfield@WaterIsLifeInternational.org | 904.553.7881