Hulaimatu Feels Less Worry and Fear with Access to Clean Water!

Last year, your gift unlocked the potential for a brighter future for Hulaimatu Sesay. Since then, she and the Katongha Maternal Child Health Post staff, as well as patients, have had access to clean, reliable water. Your contribution has made a significant impact. Thank you for making a difference!

"One of the greatest benefits of being able to use clean water is a healthy life. It is said, "Water is life." And indeed, clean and safe drinking water is a requirement wherever I go. This water well is now safe and reliable, and I can drink without fear of waterborne diseases."

Before the Well Rehabilitation

Like many health workers in Sierra Leone, 43-year-old Hulaimatu Sesay was responsible for collecting water to meet her and the clinic's daily water needs. Before last year’s water intervention, this task stole her time and negatively affected her and the care she could offer to her patients.

The previous water source.

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 Hulaimatu, in particular, it lessened her opportunity to provide the best patient care and care for her hygiene needs.

"Before the rehabilitation of this water well, I had many difficulties in providing health care services to the local community. There were days when getting water to clean the health facility, including the staff quarters where I stay, proved to be a challenge. There was insufficient water for basic needs like hand washing, maternity care, and general sanitation. Even obtaining clean drinking water was a significant challenge," recalled Hulaimatu.

Since the Well Rehabilitation

Your generous gift last year was more than a simple donation; it was a powerful statement about your commitment to this community, Hulaimatu, and the health center’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!"

"It is faster to get water from this well now. I previously walked to the far end of this community to get water. This was exhausting and a waste of time. Now that I have the water well by my house as well as where I work (the Health Post), accessing water is not an issue that keeps me worried. There is sufficient water, and I can get access to it with ease," shared Hulaimatu.

"The latrines are properly cleaned, and there is a lot of water available for use. The hand washing facilities are also functional, ensuring proper hand hygiene. Most importantly, I can now render the maternal service without the fear of lacking water. All this has eased my work and made it easier, resulting in better health standards for everyone," she continued.

The Future is Looking Bright!

A year ago, you made a difference for Hulaimatu and the rest of 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 the system hardware, track water availability, conduct sanitary inspections, and collect water quality samples to identify risks. We work with our team on the ground to resolve them.

You gave Hulaimatu 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.

"I love seeing the catchment population accessing good quality healthcare services here. This can only be achieved if there is a reliable water supply at the health facility. It was a bother for the residents to walk miles with their sick relatives seeking health services and then get water from distant wells. Not only was this frustrating, but it also affected the quality of services I could provide. I highly value the enhanced water quality in the community and at the health facility," Hulaimatu celebrated.