A Year Later: Community Water Conflicts Resolved!

Farmer Joma Mbaka, 59, recalled what life was like in Makhwabuye Community before his community’s spring was protected last year.

"It was difficult to get clean water from here. The first person could get clean water after fetching using a bowl. Thereafter, the water could [get] stirred up and dirty. It was a hole, but we regularly cleaned it, though this made the hole go wide, creating something like a pool," Joma shared.

But life is much safer for Joma and the other community members in Makhwabuye now.

"Access is very easy because within [a] few seconds you have clean water in your jerrycan. This has also solved the conflict between women over who should fetch water first or who made it dirty after fetching," he continued.

Having ready access to water from the protected spring has made a difference for Joma, allowing his community to co-exist more peacefully.

"Conflict resolution is one of the goal[s] we have achieved. There is no reason to [have] conflict [anymore] because access is easy. The water fills the jerrycans within seconds, and it is clean. We are also confident of [there being] no disease because we have water, and we can use chlorine to treat [the water]," Joma concluded.

Thank you for helping Joma access clean water and have the confidence that his water source will no longer make him sick.

Right now, there are others just like him in neighboring communities that desperately need safe water access. Your support will immediately go to work to provide a clean water project - and we can’t wait to introduce you to the next person you’ll help.

Joma collecting water.