Isatu Has the Tools to Grow Her Business!

Last year, your gift unlocked the potential for a brighter future for Isatu. Since then, she and the Suctarr Community of 141 residents have had clean, reliable water. Your contribution has made a significant impact. Thank you for making a difference!

"Clean water prevents us from a lot of water-related illnesses like typhoid, diarrhea, [and] cholera. This will help to improve our health. It also helps us to save our resources because the money that should have been used to pay for treatment will now be used to provide food for the family."

Before the Well Installation

Like many women in Sierra Leone, 35-year-old trader Isatu Kamara is responsible for collecting water to meet her daily water needs. Before last year’s water intervention, this task stole her time and negatively affected her.

Isatu Kamara using the previous water source, before their well was installed.

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 Isatu, in particular, it lessened her opportunity to generate needed income for her family.

"It was difficult because we had no water well nearby. The well we used to fetch water [from] was far away from us. This alone reduced the number of trips I [could] make to the water point. There were times when the number of people at the well was high. I would leave my five-gallon containers [in] the hands of people for them to call me when it got [to] my turn. All this prevented me from fetching water at the time I was desperately in need of it. This has even affected my trade to the point that I have lost sales from customers. This is because I spent a lot of time trying to fetch and transport water. So, I would not have enough time to sell to my customers," she shared.

Since the Well Installation

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

Ms. Kamara at the new well.

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 not difficult because the well is very close to our house, and it is easily accessible by all. Even people with disability can fetch water from this well. Above all, the water from the well is safe to drink."

The Future is Looking Bright!

A year ago, you made a difference for Isatu 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 Isatu 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 fulfill dreams.

"This water well has helped me to generate money from my trade. Now, I have enough time to sell, unlike [in] the past, where I normally spent more time fetching water. So, the money that I made from the sales is now used to sponsor my children in school. I believe this is a big investment for me because my children will learn and serve the nation in a good way in [the] future," Isatu shared.

Isatu washing clothes.

"I want to embark on producing ginger beer. Making this item for sale requires water; therefore, having this water well will help me to process the ginger beer and then put it in plastic containers for sale. This will be another way for me to get income that I will use to take care of my family since my husband will not be able to do everything for us," she concluded.