Aminata Dreams of Expanding Her Business!

Last year, your gift unlocked the potential for a brighter future for Aminata. Since then, she and the Royeama Community of 206 residents have had clean, reliable water. Your contribution has made a significant impact. Thank you for making a difference!

"I do like fetching water here because the water is clean and safe to drink!" said Aminata.

Before the Well Rehabilitation

Like many in Sierra Leone, 24-year-old Aminata Kargbo is responsible for collecting water to meet daily water needs. Before last year’s water intervention, this task stole her time and negatively affected her.

Collecting water previously required community members to expend a large amount of time and energy.

Drinking the water caused severe consequences. Many in the community suffered from waterborne diseases that created health problems, affecting their daily lives. Limited accessibility also meant people wasted time collecting sufficient water to meet their needs. The difficult journey to collect water sapped their physical and emotional energy, creating roadblocks. For Aminata, it lessened her opportunity to provide for her family and complete her daily tasks.

"It was difficult for me to get water before this project was completed. The well I usually fetched water [from] collapsed, and I [had] constraints to access water in the community. This led me to fetch water from a compound. It is restricted, and not [available] all the time I have access to the compound. Before accessing the well, I [had to] knock on the gate before someone [would] respond or open the gate. This caused me to spend hours collecting water every day. Due to this, I fetched water from another water source, which was located far away from my house. I walked long distances every day to fetch water. This water has [a bad] taste and it was not good for drinking. It was a burden for me to access safe drinking water every day," said Aminata.

Since the Well Rehabilitation

Your generous gift last year was much more than a simple donation; it was a powerful statement about your commitment to this community and Aminata’s future. By supporting the water solution, you made clean water an everyday reality, fostering hope for a brighter future.

Reliable and clean water lays the groundwork for improved health, education, and economic possibilities, allowing people to thrive. We frequently hear from those we interview that "water is life!"

"The best thing about living with clean water is [that it] protects me from water-related diseases, and it helps me to practice good hygiene and sanitation. Also, it helps me to have a lot of time for my business," Aminata said.

"Now it takes me a short time to reach the water well because it is very close to my house. This makes it easier for me to collect water every day," she continued. "In the past year, I have been proud of accessing clean water, and this has made it possible for me. Walking long distances for water has been reduced, and I have clean and safe water to drink, which contributes to sound health. The burden of collecting water has reduced, and I spend less time fetching water."

The Future is Looking Bright!

A year ago, you made a difference for Aminata and her community. This is just the first chapter of their story as access to clean water continues to improve their lives!

At The Water Project, we value sustainability and want to ensure that people continue to thrive. We commit to monitoring this project to ensure the water is always flowing and safe to consume. We inspect system hardware, monitor water availability, conduct sanitary inspections, and collect water-quality samples to identify risks. We work with our on-the-ground team to resolve them.

You gave Aminata a crucial tool for achieving her dreams: access to clean water. Together, we can excitedly expect that with this precious resource, her enthusiasm and courage will help her fulfill her dreams.

"In the past year, having reliable water has helped me a lot. And this has given me the opportunity for my business to grow. I have a lot of time to go out on business, and I was able to generate more income. I was able to support my family. My dream is for my business to excel and to be able to have [a] shop to sell goods," exclaimed Aminata.