A water tap nearby

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

The lively chats and laughter gets louder as Som Maya (53) and Lal Kumari (43) approach the newly constructed water tap with a metal water jar on their waists.

The scarcity of water in Som Maya's village was severe.

Walking for long hours, only to bring a jar of water from the river was nothing new to her. She has done it countless times already.

"We did not have any choice other than walking for more than an hour across the hills to fetch water. We managed water for households as well as livestock in this way. It wasn't easy," she says.

The rainy season however, gave some relief with a seasonal water spout nearby. However, it was not sufficient to meet the needs of everyone in the village.

"From a small spout, water used to be collected in a little tank. Only those who got there early could take the collected water. Others had to settle for a little water which, at the end, was not very clean," says Som Maya.

Moreover, the responsibility to carry water fell on the women in the house while men toiled for bread and butter. The burden of fetching water for a day in addition to household chores and work in the fields was not an easy load to bear.

"A lot of our time in a day was spent just fetching water. It used to be more difficult when we were sick and did not have any helping hands. Many times, I had to take the help of my little grand-daughter when no one was available to fetch water," she shares.

Realising the need of easy access to water in this locality, which was more critical after the earthquake, World Vision constructed a water supply scheme with 8 taps in Jalbire Village Development Committee in Sindhupalchowk. With the completion of this project, more than 40 households are now reaping the benefit.

For Som Maya, getting water with such ease is nothing less than a dream come true.

"The hardships we endured have finally ended. We have heard that this tap does not dry up, no matter what the season is. And it is a huge relief," she says.

In Sindhupalchowk alone, more than 10 water supply schemes have already been constructed which are benefitting more than 700 households, says Vinod Sharma, World Vision's Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Coordinator in Sindhupalchowk. "This year, we are planning an additional 12 schemes in the most-needed areas," he adds.