Fresh water benefits home and school

Now that Ilda Teresa dos Santos has a water source near her home she no longer needs to walk an hour every day to fetch water before school.

Ilda, 13, is in grade five at Rai Ulun primary school, Leo Hitu village in Bobonaro municipality. Many children had to fetch water from a well in a bush-clad ravine. It was heavy work carrying the 10-15 litres home and Ilda was often late for school.

“Every day I took the water twice, in the morning and afternoon,” she says. “It was approximately one kilometre and I was very tired. Sometimes there was just enough water to only wash my face before school.”

Ilda and her family were excited when they heard of World Vision’s plan to run a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) project in the village. The Japanese-funded project began in April 2014 and since then 12 concrete shells with new taps have been built.

Ilda’s uncle Paul was one of the villagers who pitched in to install pipes and tanks, mix cement and cart gravel and rocks. Women and children helped carry materials and provided food for the big group of workers.

Water is piped to the taps from nearby hills. Five to six households can access each tap. So far 95 households have fresh, flowing water near their homes.

“I feel relieved that now I do not need to walk long distances to fetch water,” Ilda says. “I can bathe just 10 metres from my house, I can wash my hands before eating and it makes me happy to bathe my little sister in the water too.”

The project has brought clean water not only to the village, but also to Ilda’s school. Teachers and World Vision WASH staff have taught more than 100 children to wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet.

“Our school now has two toilets and four bathrooms. I’m really happy that we no longer have to use the bush there is also a place to wash our hands with soap,” Ilda says.