Can you dig it? - Update on our clean water well

It's always a good day when I hear from Maritza.

I've been waiting patiently since the holidays for a photo-email from the bush and yesterday when I could no longer restrain myself, I sent Maritza an "I'm bored and have nothing to write about on the blog email" and presto...I got pictures and news from the bush!!! (Love you Maritza!)

I was also impatient because I've been keeping a little secret (since last May) about another project I'm doing in Djati (on the side and not included in the It Takes a Village project plan).  I've been very anxious to share it with everyone. The fact that we were not been able to get into Djati (due to the road closure and very long rainy season) delayed the completion of this project. Maritza announced today that the roads are open and the project is nearly complete. Yay!!

I am beyond excited - I will show you the project photos later this week. This is a first and you do not want to miss this.

Road to Djati cleared and open

Today, let's start with an update on what else has been going on in Djati.

Our well is functioning perfectly, just as it should -- and our well weathered the rainy season, without a hitch. No, we don't have the most sophisticated well. It wasn't dug with fancy machinery. We don't have a huge budget or lots of big time donors but we had a group of ordinary people, who did an extraordinary thing. Our group was determined to make sure that the people of Djati would have the opportunity to live a better life. Yes, we still have to make some minor tweaks (like adding a hand pump to make drawing water easier) and also installing some sort of safety railing to keep kids and small animals out.

But, for now, the water is clean and the well is in use.

 CLEAN water - this is a really BIG deal!

We'll get that hand pump on soon but here's short (very short) video of the well in use.

 

In developing countries, as much of 80% of illnesses are linked to poor water and sanitation conditions.

Nearly 1 out of every 5 deaths under the age of 5 worldwide is due to a water-related disease.

Nearly a billion, 884 million people do not have access to clean and safe water. 37% of those people live in Sub-Saharan Africa.

 Come back tomorrow for more photos and Djati updates.