Ngitsi, age 18, and her daughter Genet

Posted by Sadie - Wednesday, September 23, 2009

At Adiwogati, we met Ngisti, aged 18, and her daughter Genet. Genet explained “We come here in the morning at about 6.30am to collect water – I fill a small water container (5 litres). Then I go to school from 8am to midday. Sometimes in the afternoon I look after the baby, Berihu (1 yr old) whilst my mum comes here."
Ngisti said “We always drink this water, even though it’s dirty with animals urinating in it, people washing their clothes and so on. I try to get the water when it’s clean, before other people are here so I come just before sunrise, at around 5am. I usually come 4 or 5 times a day.
Lots of the children here are usually sick, they have abdominal pain and diarrhoea. There are a lot who die but it’s God’s will, not the water. I know that if I can’t get medicine in time then my children will die. The clinic is 5km away. If the sickness is severe, my brothers carry the children.
If I had clean water close to my house we would wash our body and clothes – we’d be free of disease. I will drink it! I would wash my face – very nice! If I get enough water other than drinking, I will cultivate a family garden near my home. I’d plant potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, oranges…but there is no water now – I cannot do this.
If we had water I would be very much happy. I would feel comfortable. I would get fatter!!”