Jariatu is Proud of What Clean Water Has Enabled Her to Accomplish!

Last year, your gift unlocked the potential for a brighter future for Jariatu. Since then, she and the Mayan Community of 203 residents have had clean, reliable water. Your contribution has made a significant impact. Thank you for making a difference!

"This water point has helped me greatly. I now have more time to work on my farm and can prevent my children from going to school late. I prepare food for my family early, and my children can study at home without burdening themselves by going long distances in search of water. My farm work is now steadily improving because I have reliable access to water, and I no longer worry about water," shared Jariatu.

Before the Well Installation

Like many women in Sierra Leone, 55-year-old Jariatu is responsible for collecting water to meet her family's daily water needs. Before last year’s water intervention, this task stole her time and negatively affected her.

Jariatu collected water from the swamp before her well was implemented.

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 Jariatu, in particular, every day was full of frustration and fear.

"Fetching water was a heavy burden that frustrated me every day. It limited the time I had for other activities and for resting, because I worked all day until it was time to sleep. Walking a long distance to fetch water over difficult terrain, through bushy, narrow paths, with the risk of encountering dangerous animals such as snakes, was very worrying," said Jariatu.

"During the dry season, the availability of adequate clean water became even more limited because the swamp’s water level reduced. The water easily became dirty and unsafe to drink. The most frustrating situation was when there was no drinking water available; it was already filthy. This forced me to wake up very early in the morning with my children to fetch drinking water before it became dirty," she continued.

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 Jariatu’s future. By supporting the water solution, you made clean water an everyday reality, fostering hope for a brighter future.

Jariatu pumps clean water from the 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 was very difficult for me to access clean water in this village in the past. Now, it is easy and safe for me to fetch clean drinking water in large quantities at any time. This new water well provides clean, safe, and reliable water for drinking. It is one of the best improvements in my life because I believe that life cannot exist without clean and safe water. My life is no longer the same as before, when I struggled to get clean water to drink. Fetching water is now far less burdensome for me," said Jariatu.

Not only did the waterpoint make a large impact on Jariatu's life, but the hygiene and sanitation training did as well!

Jariatu participated in the disease transmission training a year ago when we installed the well.

"I was fortunate to complete the training, and I learned many important hygiene practices that I now apply every day. The use of the tippy tap (handwashing station) at the water well and at the entrance to my toilet is very helpful, as it helps prevent illness. Through regular handwashing, I can reduce the transmission of diseases. As you can see, I always ensure that the area around the water well is kept very clean, as this was one of the action points emphasized during the training. My children no longer defecate on the ground; instead, they use a container, which I later dispose of in the toilet. This is part of the knowledge I gained from the training, and it helps prevent disease while keeping the environment clean and safe," Jariatu reported.

The Future is Looking Bright!

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

"My dream is to provide a conducive environment for my children to complete their education. I also want to fully engage in both trading and farming, especially the large-scale sales of local products such as palm oil, vegetables, and charcoal, so that I can earn more income. Having enough water in my home every day gives me the time and freedom to work toward achieving these dreams. It also prevents my children from going to school late and helps them pay better attention to their lessons," she said.

"Since the completion of this water well, I have now been able to produce more palm oil and charcoal, which I sell to get more income for [my] livelihood. My children are now able to go to school early and come back to help me with domestic tasks. They still have more time to read their books. I am very proud of working hard to improve myself and my family, and keeping my house clean every day with the help of easy and quick access to water," Jariatu concluded.