Access to clean water is one of the most basic human needs. Without a proper water drainage system in place, wastewater can wreak havoc on communities large and small, carrying disease and damaging property. For a small village in northern Kosovo, a damaged water drainage channel had devastating effects on the health and livelihood of the community.

For years, the 690-meter-long water drainage channel running through Doljane/Dolan village of the northern Zvečan/Zveҫan municipality was completely eroded, allowing floodwater to destroy not only valuable infrastructure like roads, houses and sewage pipes, but also the surrounding farmland, decreasing the economic potential of the 330-person village. To make matters worse, the polluted floodwater often got mixed with drinking water from the village’s wells, making it unsafe to use.

With help from USAID’s Community Action Initiative Program and a grant of $17,680 in July 2013, the community was finally able to make the necessary repairs not only to the drainage channel itself, but the antiquated sewage pipes that ran alongside it.

“Our children couldn’t play safely outdoors before, because the old eroded channel was filled with garbage and dirt,” explains Dalibor Radosavljević, one of the many residents who voluntarily participated in the renovation project. “Now, our children can play safely again. Plus, the whole village looks nicer and cleaner, so we are very happy.”

USAID's Community Action Initiative Program runs from July 2010 to July 2014. It supports community development and infrastructure rehabilitation in 40 Kosovo communities, builds strong civil society organizations, and improves economic and employment opportunities.