Clean Water Springs Forth
In the rural community of Nyaruhungye, access to clean and safe water has been a challenge for many years. The most significant impact was felt by the women in the community, who faced the risk of contracting diseases such as typhoid and cholera as they fetched water from stagnant sources. Add to this the 3km journey from their home to the closest water source. Valuable time that could be put towards productive work was squandered in the hours it took to go back and forth to retrieve the water.
In 2019 Raising The Village introduced something new to the people of Nyaruhungye: the construction of a protected water spring—creating access to clean and safe drinking water for 95 households in Nyaruyungye village. Since then, we’ve constructed another protected spring, serving clean and safe drinking water to over 153 households (85% of the community).
As part of our partnership methodology, Raising The Village has held monthly village meetings where community members could bring their voices and ideas to the table and discuss issues related to the water springs. These new springs have ushered a multitude of change in the village, including the development of a water sanitation and hygiene committee trained to help with maintenance and management related to the springs, as well as hygiene and sanitation.
We asked community member Kushigaria Jovia how she feels about our partnership:
“We are very excited and grateful to RTV for having responded to the problem of water access in our village.”
Through the construction of protected springs, the rehabilitation of existing springs, and the introduction of hygiene practices and water committees, we work to ensure that millions have sustainable access to water and proper sanitation. Working directly with communities in need enables us to restore dignity and overcome the daily indignities and diseases associated with water poverty.
