20 January 2006
A glass of fresh water
As I sat at my desk drinking a glass of fresh cool water I was hit by the contrast between my situation and those of people in Chata Area Development Programme (ADP) in Malawi.
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Thunga’s village headman shows the old well
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For me it is so easy to get up and walk a few metres across the office to the water cooler. I don’t even think about where the water comes from, I just fill up my glass several times a day.
In complete contrast, water was a source of much concern for the people of Thunga village. The only well had to serve both people and livestock, and the water was often contaminated. Cholera and diarrhoea affected a lot of the people there. During the dry season even this foul source of water dried up and the women had to walk long distances in search of an alternative.
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The new well ensures the water stays fresh
and free from contamination
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Recently World Vision provided hand pumps for Thunga and nine other villages in Chata ADP. The villagers brought stones and sand and gave their labour to dig the well. By installing a pump the well is protected from livestock, germs and other contaminants.
Mrs. Sande Mapulesi expressed her appreciation for the difference the pump would make in her life and their lives of the other women: “We will no longer travel long distances to fetch water during dry season.” The prevalence of water-borne diseases has diminished too.
In Malawi a glass of fresh water is pure refreshment and a marvellous example of the wonderful work World Vision does.
By Karen Bade
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