A Year Later: "I do not know how to express the joy I have within me."

When we first visited New London, community members had to travel long distances to collect dirty water or buy it from water vendors, which was expensive. Water access was especially challenging for those in the community who are physically disabled, often having to rely on others to collect water for them.

"Before the commencement of this project, [fetching water] was not easy for me, considering my situation. I had to send my children to the swamp to fetch water, or sometimes, I had to pay other people to help my children because the distance was very long," said 48-year-old teacher and water committee chairman George Sankoh.

George continued: "And as disabled, I needed a lot of water to take care of myself before going to school to teach, but it was not an easy thing for me then. At times I [would] go to school without freshening up myself because the little that my children will fetch will not be enough to take care of everyone living in the house."

But since we installed a new disabled-friendly well last year, things have been different with ready access for all. And for George, life now seems much more bearable, and his joy is overflowing.

"I do not know how to express the joy I have within me for having such an opportunity in my community. It has reduced the burdens on my children because I myself can easily come in [to] the well and fetch water for myself, as you can see for yourself, because the facility is disabled-friendly," said George.

Since George now has the ability to fetch water himself, he is feeling empowered to live more independently.

"It has impacted my life because I [am] no longer late for school as a teacher, and also it has cut down on the expenses I used to do on [the] water and medication on waterborne diseases like cholera, diarrhea, and typhoid to name but [a] few," said George.

But George is not the only one impacted as his whole family is benefitting.

"My wife also is disabled, but she can equally come in here to fetch water conveniently without any hindrance. We [are] very happy as a family and [the] beneficiaries of this water project in our community," concluded George.

George outside the well.