Christopher, a 32 years old man, hails from Shianda Community where he is an active farmer. He is married and is a father of two children who have passed away recently due to contaminated water. “I am very sad to say that I buried my two children recently because they suffered from cholera and typhoid which was a result of taking in dirty water. My family and I had no option, other than taking in such water because it was the only source in our village.” said Christopher.
Besides Christopher having lost his two children, he has never given up with life. He has a poultry farm that contains eighty chickens and he also has one cattle head, which he says provides him with milk. “It has been a challenge to me since my chickens need a lot of water for high egg production. No access to clean water has really affected me since the stream we depend on is very far and dries up during dry seasons. I therefore spend a lot of time looking for water, and the water has not been enough for my cattle and poultry.”
Finally, Christopher had a reason to smile when he realized that the Bridge Water Project was there to help him find a solution to his problems. The Bridge Water Project rehabilitated a well, which had been constructed but eventually vandalized and destroyed by unknown people a long time ago.
The well, which is 50 meters from Christopher’s house, has a potential of serving the whole community. “I am now very happy that I have access to clean and safe water. This will help me get more production from my farming activities and also I will no longer get sick from water born diseases nor will my family. My wife and I have learned matters of hygiene and sanitation from the Bridgewater Project and all of this gives us hope of beginning a new family and raising healthy children. I pray that God will bless all who contributed towards this project.”