Mariatu Has Time to Study, Creating a Brighter Future!

Last year, your gift unlocked the potential for a brighter future for Mariatu. Since then, she and the Komrabai Community of 128 residents have had clean, reliable water. Your contribution has made a significant impact. Thank you for making a difference!

"Fetching water from this waterpoint is easy and dependable. This is because the water is close to me, and it is well protected; that makes it safe for drinking."

Before the Well Rehabilitation

Like many girls in Sierra Leone, 15-year-old Mariatu 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.

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 Mariatu, in particular, it lessened her opportunity to attend school regularly.

"Before the completion of this waterpoint, I was facing a lot of challenges to get water, and that brought a lot of problems to me. I was unable to go to school on time, and there was not sufficient time for me to study. As a result of that, my academic performance was always affected. Doing my household chores was difficult due to the lack of sufficient water in the community. The problem [with] water last year prevented me [from eating] food on time," said Mariatu.

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 Mariatu’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!"

"Clean water improves health. Clean water helps me to practice good hygiene that always makes me free from waterborne illnesses," said Mariatu.

The Future is Looking Bright!

A year ago, you made a difference for Mariatu 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 Mariatu 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.

"I had been doing extremely well since the water well was completed. I can now go to school on time, and there is sufficient time for me to study. That is the reason why I have been performing well. I use my time wisely since fetching doesn't take so long. I help my parents in doing some household chores. I will have time to go to school on time, and there is enough time for me to study," said Mariatu.

"My dream for the future is to be [a] community leader. I want to make sure that my people take good care of their waterpoint so it will last them [a] long [time]," concluded Mariatu.