Residents of the Gbamnan Djidan 1 neighbourhood in Yopougon, Abidjan-Côte d'Ivoire can heave a sigh of relief. Indeed, on Tuesday 18 June 2019, Dji Ni Sii SARL (DNS), a social enterprisepartnering with the NGO Eau et Vie Côte d'Ivoire (EVCI), inaugurated a water network in this precarious district of Côte d'Ivoire's largest municipality. About 2500 inhabitants or 600 households can now benefit from running water at home, all of which aims to improve the living conditions of these populations, 95% of whom had access to water through the network of illegal dealers, and to reduce the chore of carrying water for the family, which is most often assigned to women.

The Technical Adviser to the Minister of Hydraulics, Mr. Antoine Djaa chaired the ceremony, during which he welcomed and encouraged the NGO Eau et vie Côte d'Ivoire and DNS for this initiative addressing the issue of providing high-quality and legal drinking water to people living in precarious urban neighbourhoods. He invited the NGO to extend its activities to other districts.

The populations did not hide their joy in front of this project which comes to improve their living conditions. "The drudgery of water collection is over," said the Neighbourhood Chief, Mr. Meite, speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries. "Your action will help reduce the water fraud which escalated in this neighbourhood as a result of non- connection to the public water supply network," he continued.

For Mrs. Sophie de la Bassetière, Head of the social enterprise, DNS works as a local operator acting in the heart of precarious neighbourhoods to provide residents with fundamental services, such as drinking water at home at costs adapted to the local context, in partnership with the National Drinking Water Office (ONEP) and Cote d’Ivoire Water Distribution Company (SODECI).