A Year Later: "We don't have to go to the swamp anymore."

Last year, Al Kitab Primary School's students had to spend hours collecting water instead of learning because their school did not have a reliable water source.

"This school has gone through a lot of suffering, especially in the area of [a] water facility. Before this time, we normally [went] to the swamps to fetch water, [and] also we [would] go across the street to find water," said 11-year-old Mariatu K.

Headteacher Mohammed Kamara is relieved that students can access a waterpoint within the school compound.

"The time we didn't have a well in the school compound, the pupils suffered a lot to cross the busy road, which was a risk for the safety of the pupils, and the only alternate source by them was the swamp," said Mohammed.

But since the school's well was rehabilitated last year, things have improved for them.

"I want to thank you for this big help by providing pure and safe drinking water for us, which we [the] pupils and the teachers have because [we] don't [have to] go to the swamp [anymore] nor go across the street," Mariatu said.

With plenty of water, students have been working to improve the school's daily hygiene.

"We now have enough water to take care of the school toilets," concluded Mariatu.

Since students don't have to waste much of their day finding and collecting water, they have more time and energy to commit to learning, making their futures more promising.

Headteacher Mohammed Kamara and Mariatu outside the improved well.

"The time we [used] before to go to the swamp [to collect water], we can now use that to read our notes in school," said Mariatu.