Field Notes

Thanks to you, this community now has access to clean and safe drinking water. This tap stand receives its water from a large gravity fed system serving surrounding communities all over the Rulindo district. Additionally, our local partners trained community health workers and local leaders to disseminate positive hygiene and household sanitation messages to their respective communities.

Each family using the new water source contributed toward their project's construction -- a small fee, but one that helps instill a sense of personal ownership for the project. Each family will continue to pay a small amount to use the water; the community will save this money for any necessary maintenance and repairs.

The people here, especially women and children, used to walk up to two hours to collect water for their families. And the water wasn't safe to drink and often made people sick. Thanks to your help, people here are walking significantly less every day to collect water. Most importantly, the water they bring home each day is safe enough to drink.

We are thrilled and proud to update you on our partners’ sustainability efforts for this project! The Rulindo District Water Board has been working with our partner, Water for People, to maintain the water projects your generous support helped make possible. They survey community members to make sure they're satisfied with the water flow and quality. If repairs are needed, the message can reach regional representatives quickly, and they'll work to make sure the water project is fixed quickly. We're eager to watch as this new system helps keep water flowing in this community for years to come!