Stories from the Field
As we work to provide water, we're committed to helping people like you meet your global neighbors and to realize that we all share the same basic needs. We hope to break down stereotypes and the false distinctions between the so-called winners and losers, rich and poor, the needy and charitable, by introducing you to the people we serve with the respect and admiration they rightfully deserve.
These are stories of hope, told in the words of those who carry out this work every day - our friends in the field.
A Year Later: "It is very easy for children to fetch water"
Before we installed a well at Sierra Leone Church Primary School, the school was often left without sufficient water because its source dried out seasonally and was shared with the surrounding community. "There was a concern for us as pupils of this school because we were not having full access to the pump, and above all, the pump was too noisy an...
A Year Later: "You can access the water any time of the day or night"
Before a well was installed at St. Paul's Ebusia Secondary School last year, students spent much of their time and energy finding and collecting water because their school did not have a reliable water source on campus. "It was hard because we had to carry water from home, which was not enough," said 18-year-old Linet S. "It was hard because the ...
A Year Later: Quicker Access to Water!
"Before construction, insects used to float on [the] water, and there was grass all over the place, making us scared of the place," said ten-year-old Emily A. when describing the spring's condition before it was protected last year. But since the spring in Machemo was protected, access has been much easier for Emily and other community members. "...
A Year Later: Dreams Realized, and Dreams in the Making!
Before our intervention in Mulukobha, people had to mince their way through mud to reach the opening of a spring whose water often made them sick. Fetching water took a long time, and so did boiling it. With all these limitations, people hardly ever had spare time. "Before, fetching water from this water point was risky and uncomfortable," said ni...
A Year Later: Safety and Dignity for Girls!
Before we installed a rain tank at Mahola Mixed Secondary School last year, students would have to leave school grounds on a regular basis to fetch water from dubious sources. This sent them out of class while fetching water and kept them out of class when they inevitably got sick from drinking it. "I can say without shame it was so tiresome, espe...