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: Sharing What He Sows
"Before this project, life was totally unbearable here, as we are located in a region that receives little or no rainfall all through the year," 64-year-old farmer Benson Mutuku. "During dry seasons, the river could dry, then a journey to search for water would set off. Community members would trek for around five kilometers to reach a dam which co...
A Year Later: Savings for Storybooks!
Before we protected the spring in Mwituma last year, community members had to mince their way down a steep slope in order to access the water each day. Community members reported many falls and injuries from fetching water. "Before the protection of the spring, it was hard for me to access [the] water because it [was such a] slippery slope," said ...
A Year Later: "We get water anytime we want."
Finding and collecting sufficient water to meet the needs at Burundu Primary School used to be a serious problem that often kept students out of class for most of the school day. "We used to get water at [the] market dug well," said 12-year-old Chelsea. "When [it was] broken, we went to fetch water at the spring [in] Kamchisu village. The water wa...
A Year Later: At the top of the class!
Before we protected Manasses Spring in Emusaka Community last year, people were constantly getting sick, and they spent much of their time waiting in lines at the water point. "We used to waste a lot of time waiting for that huge crowd to subside before we could get water for domestic purposes," said 14-year-old George. "Sometimes we were forced t...
A Year Later: "Life has become easier."
Ebukuya Special School for the Deaf boarding school did not have sufficient water to meet the daily water needs of its students. "It was a big challenge, especially after exhausting [the] water in the school. Going to fetch water was quite a daunting task; physical exhaustion and harassment from community members at times were the order of the day...