{"id":10975,"date":"2025-02-03T19:39:49","date_gmt":"2025-02-03T18:39:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hamap-humanitaire.org\/?p=10975"},"modified":"2026-09-05T08:26:53","modified_gmt":"2026-09-05T07:26:53","slug":"in-timbi-tounni-guinea-working-as-equals-as-the-key-to-a-lasting-project","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hamap-humanitaire.org\/en\/in-timbi-tounni-guinea-working-as-equals-as-the-key-to-a-lasting-project\/","title":{"rendered":"In Timbi-Tounni, Guinea, working as equals as the key to a lasting project"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"In rural Guinea, access to drinking water remains a major challenge, particularly in remote municipalities where infrastructure is often inadequate. In Timbi-Tounni<\/strong>, a municipality in the prefecture of Pita, that challenge has been met through an ambitious project that has transformed the lives of nearly 10,000 users<\/strong>. Unlike many initiatives confined to urban areas that already have infrastructure, this project targets a rural area where the needs are often acute. It is led by HAMAP-Humanitaire in partnership with the Association pour le Developpement de Timbi-Tounni (ADTTF), with financial support from the Syndicat des Eaux d'Ile-de-France (SEDIF) and the collaboration of MTK Services, the company TCM and UGSPE. What sets this project apart is its horizontal approach, which places local governance and cooperation between the various actors at the heart of the work<\/strong>. Far from being a technical solution imposed from outside, the project actively involved local people at every stage. Working as equals has strengthened the independence of the beneficiaries and secured the durability of the facilities, guaranteeing lasting autonomous management of the water network.<\/p>\n

The heavy reality of limited access to water in Timbi-Tounni<\/span><\/h4>\n

\"\" \"\"Guinea is short of 10,400 water points, a figure expected to reach 18,000 by 2030, seriously compromising the development goal of universal access to drinking water. At this rate, around five million Guineans, 43% of the population, risk being left without access to a safe water source. In Timbi-Tounni the situation was particularly critical. The water supply network, built in the 1990s, covered only around 10% of the locality's needs. Residents therefore had to turn to unsafe and often distant sources for their daily needs. This mainly affected women and girls, who spent several hours a day walking long distances to collect water. That exhausting work limited their access to education and to economic activity, while increasing their exposure to safety risks.<\/p>\n

An ambitious project to meet these pressing needs<\/span><\/h4>\n

\"\"Over the past three years a major project has been carried out to transform the situation in Timbi-Tounni. With a total cost of 500,000 euros, the project is funded to the tune of 300,000 euros by SEDIF. The results are concrete and measurable: 50 kilometres of water network have been built, connecting 270 households through private connections and installing around twenty standpipes, giving some 10,000 users access to drinking water. A 160 m3 reservoir has been built, coupled with a solar-powered pumping system, ensuring more sustainable energy management. 19 October 2024 was an important milestone, marking significant progress in tackling the water shortfall in this region.<\/p>\n

The success of this project is also that of our partners. Managing the facilities has been made easier by software developed by the Guinean company TCM. Thanks to this software we can follow the operating results and financial indicators of the water network, even remotely. Day to day, it is UGSPE that operates the network on behalf of the municipality.<\/p>\n

Working as equals: the driver of autonomy and durability<\/span><\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Far from traditional projects where solutions are often imposed from the top down in standardised form, this project was designed jointly with local actors, securing genuine buy-in and ownership of the facilities. ADTTF played a central part in that process. It mobilised local people to ensure active participation at every stage of the project. This mobilisation raised awareness of the importance of access to drinking water, and also created a real sense of belonging and responsibility towards the project. The process was supported by the association Villageois 2.0, which ran several communication and awareness activities with users. This platform allowed residents to speak about the project and about water governance, and to exchange ideas on improving water management locally. These discussions strengthened the legitimacy and acceptance of the project among the population, while bringing local issues to light. To make the project last, technical training was delivered by MTK Services. The company trained local teams so that they could handle day-to-day management of the network and step in if it failed. This ongoing training is a fundamental part of working as equals, because it allows local communities to keep the system running on their own, without systematically depending on outside resources.<\/p>\n

\"\"This project was designed with the autonomy and sovereignty of local communities in mind, making sure that solutions were built jointly and rooted in specific cultural and geographical realities. Unlike some development initiatives that struggle to last for want of local buy-in or sufficient adaptation, this approach favours approval by local actors and their participation. By passing on the necessary tools and skills, the project aims to reduce external dependency and to strengthen their ability to manage and develop their own systems in a lasting and independent way.<\/p>\n

\"\"This project in Timbi-Tounni shows that lasting solutions suited to local<\/strong>\u00a0realities are possible<\/strong>, thanks to horizontal cooperation and the active involvement of communities. This model of governance, training and joint design could inspire many other initiatives to meet the challenges of access to water<\/strong> <\/span>in Guinea and beyond.<\/p>\n

To continue this work and multiply these essential projects, HAMAP-Humanitaire remains committed alongside the most vulnerable communities. Your support makes it possible to sustain this work and to make a real difference in the field. Make a donation to help us transform more lives and build a fairer, more sustainable future for all.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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They are talking about the project:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Africa Guinee<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n