Every year, kids in Kondala Community get sick – many have died and the rest had no guarantee. Every parent knew the reason, but protecting their families was out of their control. A coincidence however relieved them of trauma and worry
By Hawi Alemu
Getting water has been the toughest chore Kondala community has to take care of- paying the price of consecutive health, education and economic problems coming one after another. They have to travel five hours back and forth to get the unclean water with harmful aquatic insects as well as human and animal wastes in it.
“Frequent stomach ache, diarrhea and related waterborne diseases are normal in our community- which are reasons behind death of many people every year. I have lost two daughters for same disease 11 years ago,” says Abdulkerim, Relegious Leader sitting on the newly constructed water point.
“…Our donkey even recognized between the clean and unclean water – it is denying drinking the river water after the new water project. From this, you can imagine how dangerous the water we used to drink was.“
The water issue in Kondala community didn’t make its end with the people it kills every year of waterborne disease – it rather continues to snatch fate of the survived people hindering education.
“Our kids are unable to follow their education duly- the elder ones are busy of fetching water travelling long distance some times twice a day and they are forced to miss classes at those days. The younger ones do not face sitting all the six periods without water and they leave classes to search for drinking water. What is more, neither the elders nor the youngers escape from the waterborne disease – which again is among major reasons of dropout and less attendance rate,” says Abdulkerim looking upward trying to remember if he has mentioned all his points.
On a Tuesday in November 2018, in the rural community of Shani kondala, Ethiopia, a team from Run for Water on its way going to inaugurate its water project in Shani kondala Primary School met some people from community fetching water from muddy Kondala river – a coincidence that triggered Kondala water project.
A day Kondala community’s unheard-shout of access to clean water got prompt solution.
Fatuma Ahmed 35, member of the community commented, “our life before the water project was full of trouble. We travel long distance to get water – unclean water that is going to hurt us and our kids. The fact that we know the water is unsafe even makes each day in our life tougher – a worry of what might happen to our kids who are always sick of waterborne disease. I just lack words to express what the new water project mean to us. We have already noticed the difference – we are okay from the day we got access to the clean water on. Thanks to Run for Water there is no more worry of sickness – It rather fill our life with new happiness and hope.”
Teyiba Nani and Abdulkerim Aliyi respectively
The new water project, a package solution to consecutive problems of water issue brought new hope to Kondala community.
“Not only us but also our cattle have been suffering from drinking the unclean water- it has been thinning and killing them. You know what…our donkey even recognized between the clean and unclean water – it is denying drinking the river water after the new water project. From this, you can imagine how dangerous the water we used to drink was – so, I can say Run for water is our life savior,” added Abdulkerim.