In Goldiya Kebele, Benatsemay District, South Ethiopia Region, Bereket Roro is known as both a hardworking farmer and a dedicated community health leader. Like many families in the area, his daily life revolves around nearby water sources, including the Surendo water points and Sefo Spring.
For years, the community lived with what many described as a recurring “stomach sickness.” Children often became weak and developed swollen bellies, while adults struggled with exhaustion that affected their ability to work and care for their families. Although annual deworming campaigns brought temporary relief, the illness repeatedly returned.
The community later learned that the problem was linked to schistosomiasis transmission around local water points. Thick vegetation and overgrown “Godare” plants around the springs had created ideal conditions for freshwater snails that carry the disease.
“As Bereket described it, treating the people without dealing with the water was like pouring water into a leaking pot.”
A turning point came during a NALA IoT project workshop held in January 2026. For the first time, Bereket and other community members saw the connection between the snails living along the shoreline vegetation and the illnesses affecting their families.
What followed was community action.
Working together with local health teams, Bereket helped organize a community based “Snail Vector Control Team.” Armed with shovels and local knowledge, neighbors came together to clear dense vegetation, drain stagnant puddles around Sefo Spring, and raise awareness about sanitation and latrine use.
Today, the landscape around the water points looks different and the community has developed a stronger sense of ownership over its environment and health.
Bereket is no longer waiting passively for illness to return. He now leads regular cleaning activities together with his neighbors, helping reduce the risk of reinfection and encouraging others to take part in protecting shared water sources.
“Since we started this work, everything has changed for me and my neighbors,” Bereket says. “I was trained to see what I couldn’t see before, the snails and where they live. Now, instead of just watching my children play near the infested grass, I lead a team to clear it. The medicine treats the body, but our hands treat the water. We aren’t just waiting for help anymore; we are protecting ourselves.”