Water of Life
This Halloween – and every night – millions of children face a night of fear. It isn't fun or exciting and it isn't a choice for one night. 31 October is simply another night facing hardship, loneliness, abuse, hunger or conflict. Growing up, ten-year-old Harriet has only ever had limited access to clean drinking water, but a recent borehole drilled by World Vision that has become a lifeline for Harriet and her local community.
Harriet and the other children in her community in Buyantanshi, Zambia never had proper access to clean water and the dirty water they were using for drinking and bathing often made them ill.
“The water we used to drink had small worms in it - the water was dirty because sometimes we would find dead rats in there and when the water is fetched after removing the dead rats, the fur would remain in the water. Mum had to sieve it,” Harriet explains.
Excruciating stomach pains and sickness affected Harriet regularly, often leaving her bedbound and unable to attend school. “Whenever I missed school, I used to feel bad. I don’t like missing classes,” Harriet told me.
Harriet’s village, Buyantanshi, is about 90 kilometres from the nearest road and over a thousand kilometres from Zambia’s capital city Lusaka.
Harriet couldn’t believe it when she heard that their community was getting access to clean water. “I didn’t think we would ever have a borehole here, I thank World Vision very much. I did not like drinking dirty water which had a lot of horrible things in it. My happiest day was when the machine came to drill that borehole, I was so excited. I went there to watch it being drilled the entire afternoon, I wanted to see the water come out,” says Harriet with a big smile.
“The first time I drank clean water was when we went to Bulambo for church this year, the water there tasted nice. It was different from the water we used to drink,” Harriet recalls. “I am very happy that World Vision drilled a borehole that is giving me clean water. Since I was born, this is the second time I am drinking clean water. I looked forward to drinking clean water again after the first time I tasted water from a borehole,” says Harriet.
Harriet tells us that she has not experienced severe ill health since the borehole had been installed, exclaiming with a triumphant “I am now alright. I don’t drink dirty water anymore.”
While I was in Buyantashi, I also caught up with Harriet’s mother, also named Harriet. She has seen a big difference in drinking clean water from the borehole that was installed last October. “Now I believe that our survival was truly by God’s grace. The water we used to drink was dirty. We would still drink the water even after fishing out dead lizards, frogs and other small animals that used to die in there. We often had to seek medical help and sometimes were admitted to hospital as a result of diarrhoea.”
“It is now after World Vision trained me in hygiene, sanitation and how water gets contaminated that I realised that our water was the reason for the sickness which almost claimed my children’s lives.” “I know that my children will live a healthy life; I am so thankful to World Vision for giving us water. May God bless you,” Harriet’s mum says with a warm smile.
Harriet adds “Actually I thank World Vision not only for the blessing of water but the blessing child sponsorship too. Through sponsorship, we are seeing a lot of development coming to our community in Buyantanshi and especially our village.”
To continue supporting children like Harriet, carve a heart in your pumpkin this Halloween and text HEART to 70060* to donate £5. You can find out more about the campaign here.
*This is a charity donation service for World Vision UK. Texts cost £5 plus your standard network rate message. World Vision will receive 100% of your donation. If you have a question about your payment call 0203 287 7863. If you would prefer we didn't contact you again in future, text NOCOMMS WORLD VISION to 70060. Charity no England and Wales (no 285908).
