The burden of fetching water washed away

Life has been anything but easy for Elena and her two daughters: Ioana, 8, and Andreea, 5. They live in a small house that Elena built with her own hands, on land they were given by the government.  While their small house protects them from the elements, Elena didn’t have the financial resources necessary to connect it to the essential utilities, such as electricity and running water.

Begging for the basics

A kind neighbour temporarily solved their electricity problem, by running an extension from their house and allowing her to connect two light bulbs. When we first met Elena, a couple of months ago, however, finding water was still a day-to-day struggle.

She and her children used to drink water from another neighbour’s well until a doctor told her that her family’s nitrate levels were dangerously high and that they should not drink that water.  Face-to-face with the doctor’s concerns, Elena once again turned to her neighbours, those who had been able to pay to have their homes connected to the water system.

“We take water for washing clothes from a neighbour’s well and drinking water from another neighbour who is living on a different street,’ says Elena.  “I usually fetch 60 litres to wash clothes for the entire family and 50-60 litres for drinking and cooking,” Elena explains. Since she transports the water in 20 litre containers, fetching water consumes a considerable amount of time in Elena’s day.  

But, even though her neighbours are generous, it is difficult to depend on others. “Both neighbours, who are giving me water, have a job,” she says. “I cannot disturb them anytime. I ask them to let me to fetch water only when I see them outside the house,” Elena continues.

Elena, a woman with an unbreakable spirit

Elena is doing everything she can to provide a positive environment for her girls to grow up in. “I don’t want my children to be marginalized,” she says. “It doesn’t matter how poor I am. It’s important that Andreea and Ionela not be aware that we are poor…  I want them to be treated like all the other children,” she says.

Elena works hard, taking care of her children and her home during the day and working in a factory at night. Her husband is around, but provides virtually no financial support for her or the girls.

“All I want in life is to feed my girls, to give them an education, to help them to continue the karate class and seeing them smiling. I don’t want anything for me. Only to surpass this impossible situation: to have a job and running water,” Elena sobs.

And, Elena is not alone. Roughly 45 per cent of Romanians do not have access to clean, running water in their homes. That number, however, is even higher in rural areas, like where Elena lives. In rural areas, nearly 70 per cent of houses lack access to clean water. As on-going hardship the Romanian authorities are trying to address, assuring everyone in Romania will have access to running water by 2018.

A sneaky surprise

Recently Elena received a scare when neighbours told her some people had come to measure her land while she wasn’t home. She was even more confused when Miheala, the World Vision social worker from her neighbourhood asked her and her girls to be home the next day. Not knowing what to expect, Elena complied.

It wasn’t until the employees from the local water company arrived and began to dig that Elena realized what was happening.

After just two hours of work, Elena, her family, community members and many others who had come to celebrate saw, first-hand, how a dream came true and one family’s hardship of living without running water was washed away.

“I can’t believe that we have running water and that our nightmare stopped,” says Elena. “ My legs are trembling and I feel them softly like clay.”

“I am so glad that we have running water in our yard,” adds Ioana, planning in the newly installed tap. “This summer I will wash my face and hands, every time when I will make myself dirty.”

After many days of rain, the sun was shining the day water arrived at Elena’s home. The sun’s rays, however, were no match for the joy radiating from Elena and her girls’ faces. 

The local authorities are working hard to ensure people have access to clean running water. Those who can afford it, are asked to contribute or pay. Installing water in Elena’s yard cost roughly $1000, an unthinkable amount of money for her—she struggles to simply put food on the table. World Vision petitioned local authorities and the water company to provide water for her after they initially heard how dire their situation was. About a month later, Elena’s prayers were answered.