Linda Higman concludes her article about WaterAid with the story of Lucy, a young African woman, whose life, and the lives of her community, changed dramatically thanks to this wonderful charity.

Lucy is one of the many beneficiaries of the WaterAid programme in Ghana. She is a teacher who comes from Kanidiga in the Upper East Region and would like to say a special big thank you for the water and sanitation facilities provided by WaterAid, which has boosted the value and morale of their rural lives. Here is her story:

Ten years ago, I used to fetch water from a river about three miles from my home with other community members. I had to wake up at 3 a.m. to walk to the riverside to collect water before going to my job. Unlike other women, I didn’t encourage my children to come with me, so they could have sleep and get to school early. Sometimes they would not have water to wash or to eat breakfast before school. The earliest time that I returned home from collecting water was 9:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. so I usually got to school late and met the wrath of the head teacher.

It was the woman’s duty to provide water first thing in the morning for her husband and the lack of water often resulted in quarrels, wife beating or even divorce. My husband eventually moved to the town where he worked. He filed for separation and later for divorce.

Fetching water was hazardous, especially in the dark. Snake bites could mean death and a fall could mean smashed containers, and therefore no water, and various injuries, like my dislocated hip, can mean permanent disability.

I am the only female teacher in my community, because few girls are educated, due to helping their mothers carry water.

Water was plentiful during the rainy season (five months) and increasingly scarce in the long dry season. Water collected was contaminated from a dam, posing severe health hazards, for example, diarrhoea, dysentery, guinea worm and cholera which were common and often resulted in death because no health facilities were available. Sanitary facilities were non-existent or not enough to serve the community.

I heard about WaterAid in 1994, that they provided water services through community participation, and quickly organised our community and applied for assistance. The response was positive and prompt.

Several meetings were held with a field monitor called Sammy. He briefed the people on the project implementation criteria such as: unity amongst the people; identification of the needs; involvement of women in decision making about the construction and positioning of the water sources; collection of sand and stones; training community members of hygiene, sanitation and environmental cleanliness; creating a peaceful and enabling atmosphere and environment or coherent existence; judicious use and continuous sustainability of the project.

In 1995 the project was given the go ahead and two hand-dug wells were constructed. The community provided communal labour, part of the project requirement. WaterAid provided skilled labour, cement, ladders, ropes, pick axes, shovels and other materials. Support during construction and lining of the wells was also provided. The community contributed funds and bought the hand pumps.

As part of the agreement, a levy is collected monthly, and pays for the maintenance of the hand pumps. Community members are involved in managing, maintaining and sustaining their resources, involving them in responsible leadership roles and accountability.

Since the construction of these two wells in 1995, and others in 1996 and 1997, life has been peaceful in my community.

On the day after the installation of the hand pump I woke up at 6a.m. and cried out, thinking I was late going to fetch water! My children, in their excitement had woken earlier and filled the water pots with clean water at my doorstep.

More quality was added to my life when I had access to a toilet facility.

These days my children and I go to school at 7a.m. Now we have access to water 24 hours a day, I have time to organise groups of children in social activities at school and in participation in cultural training programmes for teachers. I also encourage women in awareness and sensitivity on the importance of maintaining environmental cleanliness. I encourage community members in the idea of family toilet facilities.

No more snake bites, and men and children fetch water now for all their needs and there is a remarkable increase in school enrolment among both boys and girls. Women now have time to look after their families and are involved in farming and other small trading to increased family income.

Thanks to WaterAid’s approach, men now involve women in decision making processes. I am now an assembly woman, elected by my community to represent them in the District Assembly, unthinkable and impracticable before.

Other communities still do not have such facilities and still languish in abject poverty.


Linda Higman